James Wakahiu

 @PeopleDailyKe

All roads lead to Meru county this weekend as the region hosts the second edition of the Mt Kenya Mountain Running Championships at the Kenya School of Adventure and Leadership (KSAL).

The event, which has attracted top athletes including foreigners as well as other sports enthusiasts given its top prize money of Sh500,000 for overall winners, will be flagged off at 8am on Saturday the 26th of February, 2022. Last year, the Championships raised Sh25 million which was directed towards the setting up of the Meru Cancer Institute.

With the maiden championships hosting over 3,000 participants in 2020, this year’s event hopes to attract many more participants and donors toward the Bongo-Black rhino conservation efforts and Meru’s fight against cancer.

For the second year in a row, Mount Kenya University (MKU) is among the sponsors of the run and has already issued a cheque of Sh500, 000 as the college continues to support sporting activities within the university and in the communities it operates in.

“Sports are an important accompaniment in education and very vital in necessitating good performance and keeping students away from unwanted vices, such as dwelling into drugs and substance abuse,” says MKU founder and chairman of the board, Prof Simon Gicharu.

Black rhino

Launching this year’s event recently, Meru county Governor Kiraitu Murungi said the purpose of the championship, now an international event, is to bring more visibility and tourism to the region, especially mountain-related tourism activities.  “We also plan to raise funds for the new Cancer Institute in Meru as well as fund wildlife conservation,” he said.

Top athletes from Mount Kenya region asked the County Government of Meru to help them to fulfill their dreams by building a training camp in Meru to make the county a second home for champions.

The global event, to be hosted in partnership with Athletics Kenya among other corporate sponsors, will play a vital role in helping local and international athletes prepare for this year’s busy athletics calendar.