Orange Botswana has pledged over P350,000 for this year’s edition of the Orange Phikwe National Marathon slated for July 29 at the Sam Sono Stadium.

The sponsorship between Orange Botswana, Selebi-Phikwe Town Council (SPTC) and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) was announced on Wednesday morning in Gaborone, marking the sixth consecutive year of the partnership.

The marathon is expected to attract over 2,500 national, regional and international runners, from the social, amateur and professional ranges.

Speaking during the press conference, Orange Botswana Acting CEO, Maano Masisi said as a company, they believe in sport’s unique ability to unite and gather people from various backgrounds whether through football, athletics, or any other sporting code.

“It is through this event that we hope to uplift the community and instill a strong sense of unity amongst the residents of Selebi-Phikwe, as we all come together for health and wellness,” Masisi said.

He said the marathon has grown over the years with the number of participants increasing every year. Furthermore, he stated that the marathon has continued to attract regional and international runners, which allows local runners to compete against the best in the world.

SPTC mayor, Lucas Modimana said the relationship between SPTC, LOC and Orange Botswana which comes from 2016 will continue to have mutual impact benefits for the parties.

He said the marathon has economic spinoffs for the informal sector in the mining town and surrounding areas that provide a wide range of services on the marathon day. “It is common knowledge now that Selebi-Phikwe has been hard hit since the closure of the BCL Mine in 2016, resulting in a lack of activity and the usual vibe, followed by the COVID-19 scourge which also limited a lot of activities. However, in 2022, to the anticipation of marathon fanatics and fun lovers, the Orange Phikwe National Marathon returned. This will be the second edition after the COVID-19 scare, everyone is anxious and ready,” said Modimana.

Registration for the marathon started on March 15. Participants can choose from a selection of four races which are: 5km Fun Run registered at P200, 10km registered at P250, 21.1km half marathon registered at P300 per person, and 42.2km marathon registered at P350 per person respectively.

Formerly known as Bosele Marathon, the marathon will be held for the 36th time. Considered the oldest marathon in the country, it started as a fun run and grew from heights to heights and from strength to strength until it became the Orange Phikwe National Marathon, accredited and sanctioned by the national athletics governing body, the Botswana Athletics Association, and duly recognised by the International Association of Athletics Federation.