The Elgon Half Marathon headlined by Uganda’s Olympic Champion Joshua Cheptegei and powered by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and other partners has drawn in thousands of participants this sunny morning in Mbale City.
Runners from the ‘land of a thousand waterfalls’ dominated the 3 races; 21km, 10km and the 5km, as runners marveled at the city cradled by hills whose slopes are home to glistening waterfalls seen right from the city center.
As a cause to shed light on and create awareness about climate change and Gender-Based Violence, the marathon, now in its second edition, registered resounding success as per the number of participants considered to last year’s.
Speaking at the awarding ceremony held at Mbale Sports Ground, Cheptegei expressed his delight in having that many people respond to the call and run for causes that are critical to society’s well being and embracing the need to conserve the environment, take action to tackle climate change.
Affectionately referred to as ‘The Silverback’, Cheptegei took the chance to engage the masses on why they should stay a little longer in Mbale and explore the bountiful scenic nature the region is endowed with.
“Today we are showcasing the tourism potential of the Elgon region. We may be a sleeping lion but we have Mount Elgon, Pian Upe, Sipi Falls and many other great attractions to experience,” Cheptegei said.
Mbale boasts many other tourist attractions including the culinary asset – the malewa, a traditional sauce that many who visit the region would die to taste. Malewa is dried bamboo shoots, a traditional dish of Bamasaba. The taste, particularly when cooked with peanut paste, is unforgettable.
Coffee tours usher visitors to the land of Arabica Coffee while nature lovers take on hikes inside Kapakwai Forest where historic caves and decades-old trees lie in utmost tranquility.
In her remarks, UNDP country representative Nwanne Vwede-Obahor commended the community for taking part in a vital awareness creation campaign, adding that the marathon is also a marketing avenue for the region’s tourism offerings.
“We are very grateful to the community of Mbale for running with us to shine a light on certain issues. We want to end GBV in communities, we want to conserve the environment and we want to promote the tourism potential here,” Obahor said.
Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) CEO Lilly Ajarova noted in her engagement with the media that the Elgon Half Marathon feds into the broader prospect of Sports Tourism in Uganda.
“Sports tourism has become one of the key products that we are pushing to develop as we aim at positioning Uganda as a destination of choice. This year, we see an increase in the number of people participating and it has brough Mbale City to life. The hotel occupancy has gone up this week because of the run so the benefits are immeasurable,” Ajarova said.
Some participants were delighted to visit the mesmerizing Wanale Falls, one of the numerous waterfalls on Wanale Hill after the run, an experience many said was fun and relaxing after the morning’s race.