Last year’s event that attracted 2,334 participants
* Tickets were officially sold out by July 15 ahead of the race that was scheduled for July 19 but was later postponed to August 16, 2025
* Postponement necessitated to allow MCP use Bingu National Stadium for launch of its 2025 general elections campaign manifesto
By Duncan Mlanjira
As tickets for the Standard Bank Be More Race 2025 were officially sold out by July 15 ahead of the annual event, that was originally scheduled for July 19, only registered runners with kits and race numbers will be allowed for the rescheduled race set for August 16, 2025.
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A statement from Standard Bank Plc issued yesterday, maintains that the tickets are officially sold and that the rescheduling of the date for Be More Race 2025 does not include additional entry.
However, the non-registered members of the public will be allowed to attend the event in solidarity as Standard Bank has in store exciting new additions for 2025 edition that includes the Be More Marketplace — a curated wellness hub featuring fitness communities, healthy lifestyle brands, and inspirational spaces.
The race comprises a 21km competitive half-marathon for professional athletes, a 10km run and a 5km family fun run. It also includes free aerobics sessions, live music performances, kid-friendly play zones — ensuring a fit-for-all entertainment day for everyone.
The postponement of the Standard Bank Malawi’s flagship annual health wellness, and charity event, was necessitated to allow Malawi Congress Party (MCP) use the scheduled Bingu National Stadium for its political activities — that included street parade and the launch of its 2025 general elections campaign manifesto at the starting venue, Bingu National Stadium.
The new venue has now been identified to be at Gateway Mall on August 16 from 06h00 and that all tickets sold remain valid as preparations continue as planned with new routes to be announced in due course.
“We thank all participants and partners for their overwhelming support, which reinforces Be More Race as a platform for wellness, social cohesion and national pride,” said Standard Bank when announcing the postponement on July 16.
In the statement issued yesterday, Standard Bank assured to refund the tickets bought for those wishing to do so and have not collected their kits and race numbers if the new date is not suitable for them.
The current race numbers are valid for the new race date and the registered racers are encouraged not to remove the chip from their race numbers by keeping it safely to bring with them on the race day — since the chip will record the runners finishing times.
When officially launching the 7th edition in April 18, to be held under the theme; ‘Run in Blue’, Standard Bank Chief Executive, Philip Madinga emphasised that the Be More Race has grown into a premier fixture on Malawi’s sports calendar since its inception in 2017 as the flagship athletics event.
The briefing at Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe drew stakeholders from the sports, corporate, and wellness communities — reaffirming Standard Bank’s unwavering commitment to promoting health, unity, and national progress.
Madinga told the media that Standard Bank Be More Race “goes beyond athleticism — it’s a movement. The Be More Race is about driving Malawi’s growth. It’s where unity, health, and determination meet to create real impact”
He also announced that 100% of ticket proceeds will be channeled to Athletics Malawi to support the training and equipping of professional athletes — in a show of solidarity with local talent.
Tamanda Ng’ombe (left)
“We want to put Malawian athletes on the global map,” he said, while Tamanda Ng’ombe, Head of Brand & Marketing announced exciting new additions for 2025, the curated wellness hub — Be More Marketplace — featuring fitness communities, healthy lifestyle brands and inspirational spaces.
“Be More Race is not just an event — it’s a lifestyle,” she said at the briefing. “It’s about creating lasting impact through wellness, community, and inspiration.”
Present was Athletics Malawi president, Kondwani Chamwala, who praised Standard Bank’s growing support, saying: “This partnership is game-changing — we’re building more than a race, we’re building a culture of health, community, and achievement.”
Kondwani Chamwala
As a signature charity event, proceeds from last year’s edition — held under the theme; ‘Why We Run’ — were channeled to Children’s Education Centre at Kamuzu Central Hospital’s Children’s Cancer Centre in Lilongwe.
From the K18 million realised from registration fees paid by participants of the July 20, 2024, Standard Bank matched it at 100% to make it at K36 million — underlining the theme, that evoked an emotional connection between the race and doing good for the society.
The flagship athletics and wellness event engages existing and potential customers, key stakeholders, and communities — through a key uniting passion point; sport as well as serving as a charity,
It had a two-year break following the CoVID-19 pandemic and on its return in 2022, it was celebrated under the theme; ‘Road 2 Recovery’ — that was also used to raise funds to support academic pursuit for the girl-child at Lilongwe Girls Secondary School through construction of hostels.
The 2023 edition, under the theme; ‘Level Up’, aimed to motivate Malawians to exert themselves further to achieve wellness and good health and to challenge people to achieve more as Malawi was recovering from the devastating effects of Cyclone Freddy-induced flood disaster — which resonated with President Lazarus Chakwera’s #Operation Tigwirane Manja# initiative.
At the same time, the 21km event is catered for professional runner’s development, which saw Chikondi Mwanyali retaining last year’s title in a time of 1:06:00hrs but failed to break his own record he attained in 2023 edition of 1:05:45.
Also retaining their positions in second and third were Mphatso Nadolo and Chancy Master respectively and both also failed to break their own records — with Nadolo finishing in 1:06:34 against 2023’s 1:05:52 while Master finished in 1:7:50 against 1:06:06.
Neck to neck midway before Mwanyali broke loose from Nadolo
The women’s 21km was won by Teleza Master from Mulanje, who also failed to break her record in the race finishing in a time of 1:24:22 against 2023’s 1:23:45 when she came 4th — while second position was taken Walise Chirwa in 1:24:53 with Enifa Kapinda finishing third in 1:31:34:62.
Interesting aspect of the 6th edition was the record number of participants at 2,334 runners as part of the support towards charity — towards the Children’s Learning Centre of Kamuzu Central Hospital Pediatric Cancer Ward.
On a sad note, the Standard Bank Be More Race will keep to miss the ever-presence of former Vice-President, late Saulos Klaus Chilima, who participated in 10km category since its inaugural event in 2017.
Last year’s was shifted from June 15 to July 20 in his honour after he died in the plane accident in Chikangawa forest on June 10 — and this year’s Be More Race can also mark as the 1st anniversary of his memory in as far as his participation in the promotion of health, unity, and national progress is concerned.
May his soul continue to rest in PERFECT peace.
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