Long distance athlete Kumwamba preparing his club members for June 20 Blantyre Marathon

* Starts with prize giving 10km race on March 28

* Followed by a 31km one scheduled for May 2

* Everyone is looking forward to these tournaments

* Mulanje Athletic Club had six athletes for 2019 edition

* One clinched third place in a time of 2:34:37hrs in his first-ever marathon

By Duncan Mlanjira

Mulanje-based long distance athlete, Edson Kumwamba — whose Athletic Club member Jafali Jossam managed to be on the winners podium in the 2019 Blantyre Marathon — is preparing his club athletes for the third edition scheduled for June 20.

Kumwamba, who was satisfied with Jossam’s performance when he clinched third place in a time of 2:34:37hrs, says he wants his athletes to be in top form to grab all prize giving positions.

“So I decided that we organized these to races that attract prizes in order for them to be in good shape ahead of the Blantyre Marathon.

“Everyone is looking forward to these tournaments — not just for the prizes but they eye the Blantyre Marathon, whose prizes are very attractive,” said the trainer — who himself came 7th in 2:41:38.

It was Jossam’s first-ever 42.2km marathon and he was just shy by 5:01 minutes away from the champion, Zomba-based Mphatso Nadolo, who clocked 2:29:38.

Mulanje had six athletes and for the women category it was represented by Dorothy Gawani, who came 4th in 3:18:58, which was 13:03 minutes from champion, South Africa-based Nalicy Chirwa, who finished in 3:05:55.

And she was behind last year’s champion, Theresa Master — also from Mulanje — who clocked 3:17:11, to claim third place. The women’s second position was taken by last year’s runner-up, Doris Fisher in 3:16:31 (also from the same district).

The other Mulanje athletes were Elias Chapola, who was 6th in 2:40:02, Evance Nyazule was 15th in 2:58:36 while Yohane Dalion was 24th in 3:28:34.

Kumwamba, who came 11th in the 2018 edition, had said in 2019 that he was pleased with what they have achieved, especially with Jossam as he has never ran a marathon.

“He was a football players when I spotted the potential in him and asked him to join us.

“His first race was the Mulanje Porters Race [in July 2019] and he managed to get position 5. That performance convinced him to give a try a short at the full marathon and getting into top 3 is such a phenomenon performance to me.”

Meanwhile, Blantyre Marathon’s publicity and marketing officer, Unkhaku Ng’oma is urging athletes to practise hard in order to break the course’s 18-year-old record of 2:18:40hrs, set by veteran Henry Moyo in 2003.

He added that there is an incentive prize for the record breaker and thus they have set June as the dates for this year’s edition as opposed to October — of which athletes had complained as being very hot.

“We hope this time around COVID-19 issues will be cleared but if we still have these issues I would expect to follow all preventive measures at the Kamuzu Stadium — the usual place for the finish and presentation of prizes.

“We will start from the usual place at NBS Bank at Ginnery Corner from 6am and we also have organised other activities at the stadium as we wait for the marathon runners such as relay races, aerobics and other activities to keep fans entertained.

“Just like we did in 2019 in partnering with Kachere Rehabilitation Centre, we will soon be announcing whom we will invite as partners since as part of the event we do some social corporate responsibility,” Ng’oma said.

The route is also the same, starting at Ginnery Corner Roundabout in Blantyre near NBS Bank to Chichiri Roundabout where it branches off towards Kwacha Roundabout all the way to TVM, past St. Columbus CCAP Church and all the way to Kudya trading centre.

At Kudya, the route heads towards Zingwangwa and all the way to Stella Maris Secondary School where it turns towards Moneymen Club then past Catholic Institute (CI) and reaching Sunbird Mount Soche Hotel in Blantyre Central Business District.

Then it turns to what is popularly known as Kandodo Corner Shop where it branches off to Mbayani heading all the way to Kameza Roundabout before turning towards Machinjiri turn off where there is the Ernegem Filling Station.

The route then heads into Machinjiri, past Luanda Trading Centre; Area 5; Mkolokoti, Makhetha before joining the road from Zomba and going down past Lever Brothers; past Maselema Roundabout and reaching Chichiri Roundabout where it branches off Makata road and enter into Kamuzu Stadium for the finish line in front of the VIP Stand.