All roads will be leading to Nata village on August 24, for the first edition of the Makgadikgadi International Marathon which will be hosted at the Nata Bird Sanctuary.
In an interview with Times Sport, Makgadikgadi International Marathon Public Relations Officer Mmoloki Bopa said the event is the brainchild of some residents of Nata, specifically five individuals who are passionate about the development of athletics. According to Bopa, through the marathon they intend to blend sports with tourism, to unearth, nurture and develop sports personalities of international standards. Bopa stated that their aim is also to create and provide a platform for businesses and various sectors of the economy to network with like-minded entities.
He noted that the marathon would be a platform to raise funds to assist the underprivileged members of the society, particularly children of remote area dwellers who live in hostels at Nata and Maposa villages.
“It is also hoped that an event of this magnitude will help to energise and stimulate the economic activities by bringing in more customers to procure various items from the local market, the domestic hospitality industry, small, micro and medium enterprises and entertainment industry to mention a few,” he said.
Bopa is of the view that the marathon would promote Nata village as a tourist hub, a habitat for various bird species and animals. He highlighted that the village has plenty of flora and fauna, which easily resonates with its brand name of the gate way to Botswana tourism attraction areas
‘‘It is in Nata and its surrounding areas where one would experience the unedited beauty of nature. There is abundance of wild animals ranging from elephants, wild beasts, zebras, impalas, buffaloes, hyenas, foxes, and many others that may appear from time to time seasonally,’’ he said.
Meanwhile, the procurement of the marathon tickets is done online by visiting Makgadikgadi International Marathon Facebook page or by using the QR code provided in the platform. The registration fee for the 5km race costs P100, 10km registration fee is P250 while for 21km and 42km the registration fee costs P300 and P350 respectively.
The Marathon will be covering four categories that include 5km, 10km, 21k and 42km and champions under each race will walk away with P1000, P5000, P9000 and P12 000 respectively.
Those finishing on the second position will each receive P800, P3500, P7000 and P10 000 under the said categories while third position will be awarded P600, P2500, P5000 and P8 000 each. A local based company dubbed, Mikosho Pty Ltd has partnered with the Sowa Pan Athletics Club to host the marathon, Mikosho are the events managers while Sowa Pan Athletics Club are technical partners.
