All Set for Third Edition of Betika-Sponsored Lukenya University 10 Million Trees Half Marathon 

The third edition of the Lukenya University 10 Million Trees Half Marathon will be held tomorrow, Saturday, March 29th, at the University’s campus in Mtito Andei, with a prize pool of up to KES 1.5M.

This year’s event is set to be bigger and better, with leading gaming company Betika joining as a key sponsor, contributing Ksh 2 million in cash and kind towards the marathon’s success.

More than 200 athletes have registered for the event, which will feature a thrilling Black Mamba Cycle Race, the 21km Half Marathon, the 10km Local Race, and the 5km Fun Run. These events are aimed at bringing together athletes, environmentalists, and the local

 community to support tree planting and conservation. However, there will be no full marathon this year, as there has been in the other editions.

In the 21km Half Marathon, both the male and female winners walk away with Ksh 250,000 each, while the second-place finishers will earn Ksh 100,000. The third-place athletes will take home Ksh 75,000, with those finishing fourth receiving Ksh 50,000. The fifth

 and sixth positions will be awarded Ksh 30,000 and Ksh 20,000, respectively, while the seventh-placed athletes will receive Ksh 15,000. Competitors who finish in eighth, ninth, and tenth place will each take home Ksh 10,000. 

The 10km Local Race will see the top male and female athletes each pocket Ksh 30,000, while the second-place finishers will be awarded Ksh 25,000. The third-place winners will receive Ksh 20,000, followed by Ksh 15,000 for fourth place. The fifth-place finishers

 will earn Ksh 12,000, and the sixth-placed athletes will take home Ksh 10,000. Those finishing in seventh place will be awarded Ksh 8,000, while eighth, ninth, and tenth-place finishers will each earn Ksh 7,000.

Betika Group CEO Mutua Mutava said: “We are excited to be part of this year’s Lukenya University Marathon, which aligns perfectly with our vision of promoting sports development while giving back to the environment. Supporting this initiative is not just

 about sports but also about creating a greener and more sustainable future. We look forward to a great weekend of athletics and being on the forefront of championing for environmental conservation.”

Patrick Makau, former marathon world record holder and Lukenya University Ten Million Trees Marathon ambassador, shared his excitement about the upcoming event:

“The Lukenya University Ten Million Trees Marathon is more than just a race—it is a call to action for environmental conservation and community development. This initiative goes beyond sports, as it actively contributes to restoring Kenya’s green cover while

 nurturing young talent. Everything is set for Saturday and I look forward to experiencing great competition on Sunday.”

Last year, Martha Akeno won the women’s half marathon with a time of 1:10:26 as Gladys Koech finished second and Lelei Lillian finished third after clocking 1:10:58 and 1:11:03 respectively.

In the men’s race, Andrew Loron cut the tape first in a time of 1:04:22 ahead of Hillary Chumo and Enos Kipruto who clocked 1:04:27 and 1:04:35 respectively.