The Education Ministry is gearing up for the Nestomalt All Island Schools Games Marathon set to kick off in Galle. The marathon is scheduled to commence on November 11th at the Galle International Cricket Stadium. Dr. Willy Gamage, the Governor of the Southern Province, will inaugurate the event at 6:30 AM, expected to conclude by 9 AM to 9:30 AM.
The marathon comprises two key events. The first is a half marathon covering a distance of 21.0975 kilometers, involving 300 boys and girls. The route will start at the Galle International Cricket Stadium, leading participants to Thalpe beach and back to the stadium.
The second marathon, termed the ‘fun run,’ spans a 5-kilometer distance, aimed at attracting young runners to long-distance running, with an estimated 900 participants.
To ensure the safety of participants, the roads will be closed for vehicles during the marathon. The top 10 winners in both boys’ and girls’ categories in the four events will receive cash prizes and certificates from Nestomalt, the flagship brand of Nestle PLC. Additionally, the Education Ministry will award certificates and medals to the winners.
The age category for all runners is between 15 and 20 years, with an expectation of 300 selected runners for the half marathon and around 900 for the ‘fun run,’ representing all nine provinces.
The marathon’s primary goals are to identify talented long-distance runners and develop a national pool of skilled athletes, especially following a decline in long-distance runners due to health issues during the recent global pandemic. A team of medical officers from the Sports Medical Unit is present in Galle to conduct medical tests for all participants in both marathons.
Participants for the half marathon have been selected based on their performances in school-level games across the provinces. Sponsored by Nestomalt, this initiative by the Education Ministry aims to discover potential talents and reignite interest in long-distance running.
