More than N$100 000 in prize money will be up for grabs when the Omaruru Powersave Street Mile takes place for the 12th consecutive year on Saturday.
Race organiser Bethold Karumendu yesterday said the event has grown by leaps and bounds since he first hosted it in 2013.
“It was not easy to organise this event in the beginning but I was looking forward to the challenge. We started back in October 2013 with 484 participants and it grew to 1 512 last year, so the numbers are now more than 1 000 with the result that it has become a mass participation event, but it is also a talent identification event, while it contributes to road running in Namibia,” he said.
“Since we started my main sponsor has been Shield Namibia which is a retail supplier to certain wholesales in Namibia, including the Erongo Powersave wholesale in Omaruru. They have been supporting me for the past 12 years and I would like to thank them for once again sponsoring this event to an amount of N$120 000 this year,” he said, adding that FNB had also contributed N$20 000.
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Karumendu said athletes can register on Friday or Saturday morning before the race at their office at the Ministry of Labour in the main street of Omaruru.
“It will be a loop race from the one side of the road to the other side of the road in the centre of Omaruru. It’s going to be an exciting event and we will have various categories for everyone, including for wheelchair athletes, because we want to be fully inclusive,” he said.
There will be cash prizes for male and female athletes in various categories, including seniors (20-39 years); juniors (14-19), veterans (40-49), masters (50+), primary schools (9-13), and wheelchair athletes.
In the senior category the top three athletes will receive N$7 000, N$5 000 and N$3 000 respectively, going down to the seventh place athletes who will receive N$700.
The top five juniors will receive N$5 000, N$3 000, N$2 000, N$1 000 and N$700 respectively, while the top three veterans will receive N$3 000, N$2 000 and N$1 000 respectively.
The top three masters will rewceive N$1 500, N$1 000 and N$700 respectively; the top five primary school athletes will receive N$2 000, N$1 000, N$700, N$500 and N$300 respectively, and the top three wheelchair athletes will receive N$3 000, N$2 000 and N$1 000 respectively.
Karumendu also thanked the Directorate of Sport which has organised transport for athletes from Namibia’s various regions to Omaruru.
Karumendu can be contacted at 081 3118489 for more information.
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