After yesterday’s Paris Marathon, the world’s athletic focus will be in the USA for the 123rd Boston Marathon set to take place today with Kenyan elite athletes set to reclaim their glory.
Locally, Bank of Africa will host its first 2019 ‘Viewerthon’ series with the live airing of the marathon at Stevenice Hydepark Hotel in Kapsabet town.
The “BOA Viewerthons” provides a forum for the Bank’s customers, elite and upcoming athletes and local athletic fans to interact as they support the marathoners.
The “BOA Viewerthons” —that celebrate the five races of the World Marathon Majors— will also feature the London Marathon on April 28 along with the Berlin, Chicago and New York marathons at various locations in the North Rift towns of Kapsabet, Eldoret and Iten.
BOA will also offer free lunch for the first 200 athletes who register for today’s viewerthon in Kapsabet where the Kenya Revenue Authority will also offer education on customs, taxation and tax returns, among other subjects, to the athletes.
“This is the sixth year we are sponsoring the Viewerthon series as part of our commitment to support a Kenyan heritage that is world class athletics. To this end we will identify upcoming athletes who we can sponsor to various marathons across the country and the world,” said Bank of Africa’s head of marketing, Jimmi Wanjohi.
Multichoice Kenya is also supporting the World Marathon Majors viewerthons with all races being broadcast on Multichoice platform, SuperSport.
Serious attention in Boston will be on Geoffrey Kirui and Edna Kiplagat as they seek to reclaim the titles they won in 2017, having been affected by bad weather last year.
Kirui won the 2017 title in two hours, nine minutes and 37 seconds with other strong contenders in the men’s race including Lawrence Cherono, Kenneth Kipkemoi, Felix Kandie, Festus Talam, Wesley Korir and Benson Kipruto.
Kiplagat will lead Kenya’s female elite line up as she attempts to put the 2018 debacle behind her and prove her 2017 victory having finished in 2:21:53.
Other strong contenders in the women’s race are previous winners Sharon Cherop, Caroline Rotich along with last year’s Paris Marathon champion Betsy Saina and new comer Mary Wacera who has graduated to the full marathon with great potential.
