The Rwanda Athletics Federation (RAF) is setting its sights on taking the Kigali Worldwide Peace Marathon to a brand new stage after a profitable twenty first version held on Sunday, June 14.
Having already secured World Athletics World Elite Label standing in 2024, the federation is now focusing on an improve to the extra prestigious Gold Label Standing, a transfer that will make the marathon the second in Africa to carry such standing in addition to Sanlam Cape City Marathon of South Africa.
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As a part of preparations for the bid, RAF invited a few of the world’s high marathon runners, together with 10 Gold Label athletes—5 males and 5 girls—to strengthen the elite subject and improve the race’s competitiveness.
A supply near the federation informed Instances Sport that RAF invested greater than $40,000 (roughly Rwf 58million) to facilitate the participation of the elite athletes as a part of efforts to fulfill World Athletics requirements required for the improve.
On this yr’s occasion, Kenyan runners dominated the total marathon and rewrote the occasion’s document books. Within the males’s race, Kephar Lumbasi stormed to victory in two hours, 14 minutes and 19 seconds, breaking the earlier course document of two:18:26.
The ladies’s race additionally witnessed a historic efficiency as Lvyne Jeruto crossed the end line in two hours, 35 minutes and 35 seconds, eclipsing the previous document of two:37:12.
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In line with World Athletics, races searching for Gold Label standing should reveal excessive requirements of organisation, appeal to a powerful worldwide elite subject, comply absolutely with competitors and technical laws, preserve licensed race programs and timing methods, guarantee athlete welfare and security, and uphold strong anti-doping measures.
