Standard Bank’s Be More wellness marathon returns to celebrate the resilience of a nation due to CoVID-19

Madinga at the launch with some of the stakeholders Tamara Chafunya, Miriam Matola and Jayne Nyirenda

* The main race will be on June 4 in Lilongwe and a warmup scheduled for Blantyre in May 7

* This year’s race aims to highlight the Bank’s leading role in facilitating the country’s CoVID-19 recovery efforts

* Since 2017, the Be More Race has has created lasting relationships with different stakeholders locally and internationally

* This underscores that Standard Bank is more than just a bank, but an integral part of the community fabric

Maravi Express

After a two-year break due to the CoVID-19 pandemic, Standard Bank’s annual signature wellness marathon, the Be More Race returns, which will also be used to raise funds to support academic pursuit for the girl-child at Lilongwe Girls Secondary School through construction of hostels.

Billed as the biggest race sponsorship in Malawi by the Athletic Association of Malawi (AAM), the 2022 race — whose main race will be on June 4 in Lilongwe and a warmup scheduled for Blantyre in May 7 — promises to create a platform for recovery on the socio-economic and health wellness front.

Standard Bank Chief Executive Officer, Phillip Madinga re-launched the race with pomp and colour in Lilongwe on Friday under the theme ‘Road 2 Recovery’, saying this year’s race aims to highlight the Bank’s leading role in facilitating the country’s CoVID-19 recovery efforts.

“In relaunching the race, Standard Bank invites back all key partners to join us in efforts aiming to facilitate the country’s recovery process in both respects of the economy and people’s wellness,” he said.

“The 2022 Be More Race provides a platform to celebrate the resilience of a nation in withstanding socio-economic effects of CoVID-19 pandemic, while offering hope for a better tomorrow.”

He said the race will attract people and organisations from different sectors in addition to professional athletes locally and internationally.

“Since 2017, the Be More Race has become a multi-disciplinary event deploying a Marathon that creates lasting relationships with different stakeholders locally and internationally.

“This underscores that Standard Bank is more than just a bank, but an integral part of the community fabric. The 2022 Be More Race will serve to underscore that we are stronger when we work together, and that through our partnerships, our dreams and aspirations are possible and can be,” he said.

The race comes in three categories of 5km, 10km and the half marathon (21km) — which attracts professional runners and the extreme outdoor fitness enthusiasts.

Registration starts on Monday, April 4 whose fees range from K5,000 to K15,000 with the winner of the half marathon expected to bank a cool K1.5 million as runner-up and third-placed receiving K900,000 and K500,000 respectively.

AAM president Godfrey Phiri thanked Standard Bank for maintaining the sponsorship despite the impact of CoVID-19 on business and the economy.

“Thanks for fulfilling your promise to sustain the race,” he said. “During the CoVID-19 break, you may have been discouraged but the return shows that you put athletics at the heart.

“AAM will not disappoint you. We will make sure that this race is well publicized and becomes a crowd puller. Athletes will run their lungs out,” he said.

Standard Bank launched the Be More Race in 2017 as its flagship athletics and wellness event to engage existing and potential customers, key stakeholders, and communities through a key uniting passion point — sport. The last race in 2019 attracted over 1,500 participants.