Gambia gears up for popular marathon

The most consistent and longest run in The Gambia is gearing up for its 2010 Annual International Run on Saturday.

With a few days down to the big event, the organiser,  the Brufut Marathon Committee, are working on putting the final touches for yet another big sports event in the country’s coastal village of Brufut.

The 16th edition run themed ‘Run against Hunger’ has received the support of Philippe Duterloo and Erik Berning, who are working at the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and have successfully collected donations for the event from their home country, the Netherlands, and through their international networks.

The funds will be used to buy bags of rice, peas and salt and cans of cooking oil – the traditional food basket provided by the WFP around the world to feed the needy – which in turn will be donated to the BMRA (Brufut Marathon Run Association), to raffle them off to the participants.

The Friends of The Gambia, who have always been traditional supporters to the event, have also given their usual boost ahead of the event.

All events will commence at 9am at various locations. The men’s 15-kilometre race will commence from the Traffic Light at the Kairaba Avenue to Brufut.
The women’s category, which is an 8-kilometre race, will start from the Turn Table in Brusubi and end in Brufut.

The 42-kilometre cycling race is set to start from the Traffic Light at the Kairaba Avenue to Brikama, Sanyang and finally to Brufut.
The other races - the children 500m race and walk race by elders in Brufut - will also commence at 9am.

As part of the programme on the agenda, the chairman of BMRA, Ba Jabbi, will deliver the opening remarks.

This will be followed by a speech by Max Jallow on BMRA’s development plans.

Philippe Duterloo, WFP representative, will delve on the fight against hunger.

Other important guests, such as the secretary to cabinet, the Speaker of the National Assembly and a representative from the Ministry of Forestry, will dilate on various topics.

The Minister of Youth and Sports, Sheriff Gomez, is expected to give the keynote address.