Women compete in the 10,000m at a previous BingwaFest meet/ HANDOUT



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Over 600 athletes will battle for a share of the more than Sh6 million up for grabs at the Betika BingwaFest Central region edition at the Kinoru Stadium this weekend.

All eyes will be on Naomi Chepng'eno and Diana Cherotich, who headline the women’s 10,000m and 5,000m races.

In the men’s ranks, Yegon Kipkirui and Josphat Kipchirchir are the contenders to watch in the fiercely contested distance battles.

Winners in the 10,000m will take home Sh300,000, while second and third place finishers will pocket Sh250,000 and Sh200,000 respectively.

 Sh100,000 and Sh75,000 are reserved for the fourth and fifth finishers.

In the 5,000m category, winners will receive Sh250,000, with second and third place finishers earning Sh150,000 and Sh100,000, respectively.

The sprints and middle-distance races will be equally lucrative, with prizes for the top five in the 100m, 400m, 800m and 1,500m set at Sh150,000, Sh100,000, Sh60,000, Sh30,000 and Sh20,000 for the top five finishers, respectively.

Betika Head of Brand, Eric Mwiti, said they expect a huge turnout of competitors and fans, similar to the previous edition held in the region.

“Meru has been good hosts... that is why we are happy to head back there,” Mwiti said. “Just like in the first edition, we are hoping to see a huge turnout by the fans as they come to cheer their teams."

Mwiti reiterated their commitment to nurturing athletes from the grassroots.

“Our commitment has always been to grow grassroots talent and create platforms where young men and women can showcase their skills, be discovered, and be inspired to dream bigger,” he stated.

He observed that team sports competitions are ongoing with football, rugby and basketball, starting on December 15.

Defending women’s football champions Gachanka Queens made a flying start to their title defence, hammering Isiolo United Ladies 4-0 in their opening match to remain firmly on course, while Al Azizia have also set their sights on reclaiming the men’s title

Winning teams in football and rugby will pocket Sh1 million each, with second and third place finishers earning Sh500,000 and Sh250,000, respectively.

In 3×3 basketball, the winning teams will go home with Sh500,000, while the second and third placed teams will take home Sh250,000 and Sh100,000, respectively.