This idea draws inspiration from the highly successful reality television series 'The Biggest Loser', which centres around overweight and obese participants striving to shed significant amounts of weight. The organiser of the marathon, Mbakiso Mawila, told Mmegi Sport that the 'biggest loser' initiative is directed at companies or clubs that have registered for the marathon. "Each team must have 10 members and everyone who has registered for the Run Gabz By Night is eligible to be part of the biggest loser competition. The challenge is aimed at supporting the wellness activities of different corporates and teams. We should ensure that team members support each other throughout the weight loss journey. When the challenge starts, a group weigh-in will be performed. Each individual will be weighed and the weight will be consolidated into a team weight," Mawila detailed.
He elaborated that after this, team members will encourage one another to adopt healthy eating habits and engage in regular training to achieve weight loss objectives. He indicated that the upcoming event will take place at the Game City rooftop on September 9, marking the official launch of the biggest loser competition. Subsequently, participants will undertake an interim weigh-in to assess the teams' progress, followed by the final weigh-in scheduled for October 7. At this juncture, the winner will be announced and the winning team will have its company or team logo prominently displayed on their marathon t-shirts. Mawila underscored their collaboration with Turnstar Holdings, a prominent real estate enterprise with retail, commercial, and residential properties. He expounded that Turnstar Holdings serves as the bronze sponsor for the marathon, with their property, Game City Mall, hosting the first edition of the Run Gabz By Night marathon. Meanwhile, the marathon, initially slated for August, has been rescheduled to October 23 at Game City. Mawila clarified that the adjustment was necessary due to a scheduling conflict with the Police Day.
The Botswana Police Service (BPS), via the Lion's Den Running Club, assumes the role of the technical sponsor. Mawila also emphasised that BPS plays a crucial role in the marathon by managing traffic. Mawila conveyed that the concept of the marathon was galvanised by the surge in criminal activity in the capital city. "When crime rate spikes, the community responds in different ways. There is panic, trust is misplaced, and some even lose faith in the police. I had to come up with an idea that could counter the situation we find ourselves trapped in. We are going to use the data that is collected during registration to come up with a database that will be used to establish strong Neighbourhood Watch committees," he said.
