For the second year running, the Lewa Safari Marathon is going virtual on June 26 as the coronavirus pandemic continues to disrupt sports.

The Lewa Safari Marathon, organized in partnership with Lewa Wildlife conservancy, is considered as one of the world’s top ten marathons by Runner’s World.

The competition, which is sponsored by telecommunication giants Safaricom and Huawei, has raised millions of dollars since 2000 to fund Tusk’s wildlife conservation, community projects, education and healthcare initiatives in Kenya.

Some of the marathon’s iconic wildlife conservation achievements has been financing saving of Kenya’s Black Rhino population from the brink of extinction and protecting the world’s critically endangered Grevy Zebra.

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“The Lewa Safari Marathon brings together three things that we are very passionate about as a company; sports, community and conservation,” said Sitoyo Lopokoyit, Chief Financial Services Officer, Safaricom.

However, these projects face social and economic crises as Covid-19 grips the world, straining resources than ever before.

Lewa Safari Marathon is no longer just an event in people’s diary, but one that is in their hearts and now that Covid-19 has affected, people should know that even though we are separated physically, we are still connected emotionally, said John Kinoti, Lewa Wildlife Conservancy’s community development manager.

Whether you are going for the 5km, 10km, 21km or 42km you can register for the run, which is supported by HRH The Duke of Cambridge and world Marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge on lewasafarimarathon.co.ke

"This year, we have another opportunity to rally around my Kenyan brothers and sisters as they continue to feel the negative effects of the pandemic. Please join me on the 26th of June, wherever you are in the world, to run The Virtual Lewa Safari Marathon,” said marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge.

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The event organizers are set to make the virtual race as exciting as possible; offering support and running tips from wildlife rangers, creating digital postcards, interactive maps and mini-challenges, so the whole family is involved.

Tusk will be streaming the event live on June 26, showing efforts from the virtual Lewa Safari Marathon Community across the world.  You can also join the #virtuallewasafaricom global community and run wild.

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