The event was a build up to the main one scheduled for November 27.
It is part of the UB 40th anniversary celebrations.
A senior lecturer in the department of Sport Science at UB, Dr Tshepang Tshube told Sport Monitor that three weeks ago, they launched Sport Development Meet, which had three components being to launch the UB marathon, formally adopt Mogoditshane Senior Secondary School and to do a symposium to discuss some sport development issues, particularly the role of UB in sport development at national level.
“In terms of the marathon, conceptualise it to serve three things, to showcase Botswana’s history through the marathon. Runners will start here at UB, the 5km will be within the UB.
The reason for that is to have runners passing through historic buildings within UB including Sir Ketumile Masire Teaching Hospital. We will use the marathon to tell the history of UB and that of Botswana,” he said. Tshube said other distances would be outside UB, with the route passing through State House, three dikgosi monument, the central business district (CBD) and the Western Bypass, A1 highway. He said the marathon would be used to raise funds in order to give scholarships to students.
Tshube said obesity has spiked in the country and physical activity reduces such cases. “We want to expose our sport science students to learn event management, sport psychology, strength and conditioning. Anything that happens at UB is always different from the rest. We never compete because we lead and we have led for the past 40 years,” he said.
When asked what sets UB marathon apart from the rest of other marathons, Tshube said they have a unique course, which is not straight. He explained that the course that will be used is taking turns through the streets of Gaborone.
He said they understand that other institutions compete with UB but the marathon will set them apart. He said the plan is to invite elite runners from countries such as Kenya and Ethiopia. He said the UB marathon would be an annual event.
Tshube said they were working in partnership with Fearless Fitness Club, which assisted them to bring runners and to put up signs on the route. Fearless co-director, Kealeboga Kaylo Leruele said they were approached by UB to assist them with the marathon activation. “We were given a short time to prepare for this activation but the attendance was good. We just hope even in the main event they will engage us.
This is something we do all the time; we work as a team and we have strong social media presence,” he said. Leruele said they expect the number of runners to increase as the main event draws closer. He encouraged more people to register for the marathon, adding that it is not about competition but for health benefit.
