Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore. Photo courtesy Mchezo Africa
For the first time the Safaricom Series will incorporate Relay Races that will be used to select teams to represent Country in the world relay championships to be held in Bahamas on the 23rd – 24th May 2014.
The Safaricom Athletics Series 2014 Edition will have two categories namely; The Safaricom Relay Edition and the Safaricom Long Distance races.
For the first time this year, Safaricom will sponsor the first Deaf Athletics Association of Kenya (DAAK) Marathon under the series to be held in Kisumu after the success of the DAAK athletics championships held last year.
Speaking during the launch, series CEO Bob Collymore said the introduction of the Relay Edition in this year’s athletics series is in fulfillment of the company’s pledge to nurture the growth of short races in Kenya.
“As part of our continued support in promoting the sports sector in Kenya, we feel it is important to include the short/sprinter races in the series to give all existing and upcoming athletes a platform to discover and grow their talent in short races/sprinters,” he said.
“Kenya is widely known to perform very well in long distances races and the short races segment has not been fully exploited,” he added.
Collymore noted that the Telco will continue with their long distance races which will include the road races, cross country, half and full marathon races held last year in partnership with Athletics Kenya and other partners.
The second Edition of the Safaricom Athletics Series will feature races managed in partnership with Athletics Kenya, Axis Marketing, DAAK- Deaf Athletics Association of Kenya, Henry Wanyoike Foundation, Tegla Loroupe Peace Foundation and KASS Media Group.
AUTHOR: PAUL POLOSSA