On Sunday morning, the erstwhile quiet town of Gulu came alive courtesy of MTN Uganda as the newly paved Kaunda Grounds played host to a crowd of 3,000 plus as the second leg of the MTN Marathon Series came to Northern Uganda’s most famous town.

It was a spectacle to behold as runners young and old from as far as Adjumani, Amudat, Apac, Arua, Kitgum and Lira came to take part in a unifying sport that is arguably the easiest form of exercise to keep one fit and healthy.

For the budding elite runners, they came from not only Gulu and Lira but from far flung Sebei, Kapchorwa, Kwen and Bukwo districts, which have all been instrumental in producing some of Uganda’s greatest athletes.

They all came here for a piece of the cake on offer in terms of podium finishes and cash prizes, but in the end, it was the Uganda Police team that took most of the honours.

As a unit, they swept four out of the twelve podium places on offer; Chemutai Vincent and Rotich Isaac finished 1st and 2nd in the Men 5KM category as Chemutai Rael took 2nd place on the Women’s podium. Cherob Alex and Chelimo Ruth both took 2nd place in the 10KM Men and Women’s category respectively.

Gulu runners were well represented in the top ten finishes but had the unfortunate chance of having only one runner finish in a podium position as Apio Franka finished 3rd in the 10KM Women category.

When MTN Uganda started the regional runs this year, one could not fathom the successful outcome that they would have had so far. According to the MTN Uganda Sponsorship and Events Manager Mr. John Paul Okwi, by Friday 09.11.2018 the two thousand (2,000) kits that were set aside for the Gulu run had run out. 

At the run, MTN Marathon partners and sponsors Coca-Cola Beverages Africa, Stanbic Bank, Huawei Uganda, Vision Group and SPEDAG were present courtesy of their regional executives and representatives.

Hon Norbert Mao and Gulu Local Council V Chairman Martin Ojara Mapenduzi were in attendance both thanked MTN Uganda for bringing the MTN Marathon Series to Gulu and looked forward to the next. 

At the 2018 Commonwealth Games held in Australia in April 2018, Uganda finished with six medals - three gold, one silver and two bronze. Omony Okot, the Vice President of the Uganda Athletics Federation noted that with five of these six medals being won in the athletics category, the future of Ugandan athletics will be bright as long as budding runners turn up and take part in such runs. 

With two runs done – one in Mbale on Sunday 04.11.2018 and Gulu today, the turnout at both these events has indeed shown the increasing need to develop, showcase and promote the budding athletics talent around Uganda on a larger scale.

The MTN Marathon Series moves to Mbarara Town next Sunday 18th November, 2018.  

5KM Run Winners – Men & Women

Position

Name – Men

Cash Prize

Name - Women

Cash Prize

1st

Chemutai Vincent – Police

250k

Chemusto Keren – Arua

250k

2nd

Bua Julius – Prisons

150k

Chemutai Rael -  Police

150k

3rd

Rotich Isaac – Police

100k

Apio Franka – Gulu

100k

4th

Achaya Francis – SFC

90k

Adokober Beatrice – Gulu

90k

5th

Ayeko Francis – Gulu

80k

Oroma Agnes – Gulu

80k

6th

Onono Tonny Ronald – Gulu

70k

Adong Joyce – Gulu

70k

7th

Joseph Kanwororr – UAFA

60k

Awino Joanita – Gulu

60k

8th

Yankori Basil – Lira

50k

Adnan Jaitun – Gulu

50k

10KM Run Winners – Men & Women

Position

Name - Men

Cash Prize

Name – Women

Cash Prize

1st

Samuel Kibet – Sprinters Club Kapchorwa

UGX 500k

Chelangat Rebecca – Prisons

UGX 500k

2nd

Cherob Alex – Police

UGX 250k

Chelimo Ruth – Police

UGX 250k

3rd

Kwemoi Vitalis – KCCA

UGX 200k

Akidi Stella – UIAHMS Mulago

UGX 200k

4th

Mandy Steven – Kapchorwa

UGX 150k

Andrea Sabelli – Alum

UGX 150k

5th

Solimo David – UWA

UGX 100k

Charlotte Brown – Gulu

UGX 100k

6th

Akwech Peter – Lira

UGX 90k

Odraru Jessica Olam – Gulu

UGX 90k

7th

Ayeko Simon – UPDF

UGX 80k

Laureen Shipley – Gulu

UGX 80k

8th

Ogwal George – Lira

UGX 70k

Adong Moreen Harriet – Gulu

UGX 70k

9th

Rubangakene Ronal - UIAHMS

UGX 60k

Akello Harriet – Gulu

UGX 60k

10th

Rubangakene Denish – Gulu

UGX 50k

Adouch Isabella – Gulu

UGX 50k