After two years running virtually due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Lewa Safari Marathon is set to make a physical comeback on June 25.

The event brings together athletes and running enthusiasts worldwide in a race to raise funds for a range of community groups, clinics, schools and wildlife conservancy projects in and around the Lewa Conservancy.

Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge will be part of the elite runners of the event that also attracts upcoming runners.

Since 2000, the marathon has been a vehicle for the advancement of education, healthcare and conservation efforts in Kenya, raising over $8.6 million.

This year, Lewa Wildlife Conservancy and Tusk introduced new partners, Kenya Breweries Limited and Tetra Pak Limited, alongside the lead co-sponsors Safaricom and Huawei that continue to support the event in its launch.

Lewa Wildlife Conservancy is a UNESCO world heritage site and the run in the wild is co-organized by wildlife conservation charity Tusk.

It allows participants from all over the globe to compete in the annual event whilst running through one of Africa's most breath-taking wildlife conservancies.

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Mike Watson, CEO of the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy said “while still providing an exciting and exhilarating marathon experience, the Lewa Safari Marathon 2022 aims to be the most environmentally friendly event hosted to date.

"This drive is inspired by the urgent need to reduce our carbon footprint, which aligns with our ethos and standards as we strive to be a model for biodiversity and ecosystem preservation,” he said.

Charlie Mayhew, CEO of Tusk shared “it’s a joy to be able to bring this one-of-a-kind event back to Kenya. The Lewa Safari Marathon has a 20-year legacy of drawing runners from around the world to raise significant funds for a wide range of conservation, education and community initiatives across Kenya.”

In a statement, Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa said that “Lewa Safari Marathon brings three things that we really care about as a company; sports, community, and conservation. We remain committed to supporting the marathon because we have seen how it continues to transform lives and that speaks to the essence of our purpose.”

Huawei Deputy CEO Public Affairs Fiona Pan stated that “environmental sustainability is a key pillar of Huawei’s sustainability strategy and that is why this marathon is and continues to be a key activity that we support together with our partner Safaricom.”

This year’s Lewa Wildlife Conservancy marathon registration will open online at lewasafimarathon.co.ke at 8.30am on March 23.

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