By: Hee-Dee Walenga
During the final press conference before the 11th edition of the Navachab half marathon taking place this Saturday in Karibib, race director Berthold Karumendu revealed that nine companies have been added to the existing slate of corporate sponsors.
The staple event is now supported by 16 separate corporate entities – with the QKR Namibia Navachab Gold Mine being the title sponsor.
The N$345,000 in prize money is sponsored by the gold mine. The men’s and women’s senior categories (16+) have cash prizes ranging from N$500 for 10th place and N$20,000 for 1st place. Including logistical expenses, the gold mine has allocated at least N$700,000 for the event, according to Karumendu.
Among the new sponsors are Vivo Energy, KODO Drilling, the Mine Workers Union, Praestantia Chemical Solutions, and the Karibib OK Foods Supermarket. KODO Drilling has sponsored N$50,000, with Prestantia adding N$25,000. Vivo Energy sponsored goodie bags and a water point, as have several other companies.
Karumendu mentioned having aspirations of turning the half marathon into a fully-accredited international marathon by World Athletics, which would attract runners from all over the world. One of the key requirements for the half marathon to become accredited is an increase in prize money, which Karumendu foresees happening as more corporates come on board.
“We are on the right path, but remember, a 10k race in South Africa pays more than N$30,000 for the winners, so runners from other countries are inclined to go there,” Karumendu explained.
Deputy director at the sports ministry, Irvine Ndjavera, stated that the event supports the ministry’s mandate, which is to provide a conducive environment for sport development and create a platform for athletes and technical officials to excel.
“It is also an event of mass participation and talent identification,” Ndjavera added. Ndjavera also stated that the event helps the ministry address the statistic of 43% of Namibians suffering from non-communicable diseases, of which 27% are related to strokes. “Most importantly, it is an event of social cohesion,” he remarked.
The winners of last year’s half marathon received support from the ministry to participate in the Nelson Mandela Bay half marathon in South Africa. Namibia’s Lavinia Haitope won the women’s race, with Daniel Paulus finishing in second for the men at the uber-competitive South African half marathon.
Petrus Ntoni, deputy mayor of Karibib, told The Villager, “The event gives an opportunity to local vendors and SMEs to market their products and attract investors from outside. From its inception, this event has put Karibib on the map.”
