The Absa Summer Kids Marathon activation held in Maun over the weekend exceeded even the organiser’s expectations with over 300 youngsters, ranging from between the ages of 2 and 16 taking part.
The activation was held at the Power Sation prior to the main event which will be held in Gaborone on April 26th, 2025.
The vibrant and energetic youngsters participated in different cardiovascular activities including among them aerobics, Zumba dance and short run.
The marathon’s lead Organiser Martin Fani said that they were amazed by the large number of kids who participated in the event, adding that while had targeted 150 kids from Maun to participate in the activation, the numbers unexpectedly doubled.
Fani has expressed that the huge number of the kids who participated in the activation really indicates that kids are minimally exposed to sporting activities in Maun and Botswana in general. He noted that through this year’s edition their intention was to do things differently hence they decided to host activations in different places.
Fani said that through the activations they wanted each and every kid to be involved and experience the initiative. He indicated that people had long requested them to host the event in other places besides Gaborone, but it was unfortunate that they did not have the capacity and the resources to run the activations by then.
Fani has revealed that in the next coming years, they will continue to host activations and do a series, providing the kids with medals, running kits and other necessities. He mentioned that their target for next year is to have 5 000 kids participating in their activations.
According to Fani, the Absa Summer Kids Marathon initiative emerged post Covid-19, because they had realised that the kids were not exposed to sporting activities during that era compared to their parents.
“We came up with the concept post Covid-19 in order to cater for kids, so that they can also learn how to exercise and be fit at a young age to combat no-communicable diseases,” he said.
He appreciated the event tittle sponsors and partners including Absa Bank Botswana, Okavango Diamond Company, ministry of Sports and Arts, The Ngami Times, Wimpy, Nandos, Debonairs Pizza, Motswedi and Kwaga Ncinci.
Meanwhile from Maun, activations will cover other places such as Letlhakane, Francistown and Jwaneng before the main event in Gaborone.
