Preparations underway for UB Marathon
Staff Writer | Monday August 11, 2025 10:05
Speaking in an interview this week, Race Director Justice Dipeba noted that all hands were on deck to ensure the smooth delivery of the 2025 edition.
He stated that the marathon has grown in the last few years and they were looking to have more participants this year.
Dipeba added the marathon was critical in promoting the development of athletics in the country, especially since it is inclusive to even persons with disabilities.
He said the business community, public, staff, students, and alumni of the institution should expect a well-organised event. To this end, he called on sponsors and partners to come on board to make the event a resounding success.
“I believe that in terms of the preparations we are on the right track and the registration is going well.
“We will be closing very soon,” he said.
Dipeba revealed that this year’s registration for the full marathon (42.2km) has grown with over 200 runners already registered for the race.
He stated that this time around there will be live timing of athletes to enable tracking of where they are running (the routes) to tell their whereabouts and their running times.
Moreover, he said there will be international bus drivers and overall looking forward to having an exciting marathon.
Dipeba, a seasoned athletics coach and UB sports officer, believes that with the public rallying behind the marathon it could grow up to be one of Botswana’s most impactful sport events.
Launched in 2022, the marathon was established by the University of Botswana Foundation (UBF) as part of its fundraising initiatives to support postgraduate scholarships at the institution.
He said it is intended to make a difference in people’s lives. So far, UBF has sponsored over 300 postgraduate students.
The marathon also contributes to the fight against Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), which continue to claim many lives. Further, the event seeks to demonstrate the institution’s commitment to the growth of local sport.
Now a flagship event in the local sporting calendar, the marathon which has grown over the years has this year attracted Standard Chartered with the bank splashing P1 million as a platinum sponsor.
For this year’s edition, the marathon is targeting over 3,000 runners from across the SADC region.
Earlier this week, the university released a press statement extending the marathon registration deadline until further notice.
The statement noted that the extension serves to give those who have not yet registered an opportunity to be part of this year’s event.
To this end, registration remains open for all race categories including the five-kilometre, 10km, 21.1km (Half Marathon) and 42.2km (Full Marathon).
The UB marathon is accredited by the World Athletics and is a qualifier for the Two Oceans Marathon.