The SanlamAllianz Coastal Marathon, held in Swakopmund on Saturday, attracted an impressive 3 688 entries across its four race categories - 5km, 10km, 21.1km and the full 42.2km marathon.
The event once again proved to be a major highlight on Namibia's athletics calendar, drawing both seasoned runners and first-time participants from across the country.
Participants competed not only for pride and personal bests, but also for prize money, with third-place finishers receiving N$2 000, second-place winners N$3 000, and first-place athletes taking home N$5 000.
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SanlamAllianz Marketing and Communication Consultant Hilma Petrus described the event as a resounding success, noting the high level of participation and enthusiasm.
She emphasised that the marathon continues to grow in stature, offering athletes an opportunity to test themselves and qualify for international competitions.
"The turnout has been amazing. Namibians from across the country showed up to improve their personal bests and to qualify for other international marathons," she said.
In the 42.2km marathon, Salmi Nduuviteko delivered a strong performance to win the women's category in a time of 2:44:37. In the men's division, Jeremia Shaliaxwe claimed victory with an impressive time of 2:13:01. Both winners were rewarded with an all-expenses-paid trip to participate in the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon, further underlining the event's role as a pathway to international competition.
In the half-marathon (21.1km), experienced long-distance runner Lavinia Haitope continued her winning streak by securing first place. Her victory comes shortly after she claimed top honours in the same category at the Two Oceans Marathon in Cape Town, cementing her status as one of Namibia's top distance runners.
Haitope expressed satisfaction with her performance, clocking 1 hour and 15 minutes, but remained focused on improvement.
"I am happy with my time, but I want to keep improving and do better in upcoming competitions," she said.
When asked whether she plans to step up to the full marathon distance anytime soon, Haitope indicated that she is not rushing the transition. While she remains open to the possibility in the future, her current focus remains on excelling in the half-marathon.
The 10km race also produced an exciting result, with first-time competitor Daniel Paulus emerging as the winner in the men's category. Paulus said he entered the race primarily to challenge himself and was pleased with his performance, marking a promising start to his running journey.
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Beyond individual achievements, the event also celebrated team spirit. Shore Runners and Windhoek City Runners were recognised as the most energetic running clubs, each receiving a Unit Trust valued at N$2 000.
Overall, the SanlamAllianz Coastal Marathon showcased the depth of running talent in Namibia while promoting fitness, competition and community spirit.
