Legends Marathon expands while celebrating sports icons

The Legends Marathon continues to gain traction and is set to continue growing following the successful conclusion of the second edition at the Legends ground on Saturday.

Saturday’s event attracted over 500 people, including 20 from Karura Running Club in Kenya. The 42km race was won by Mudafir Arinawe Rwamagyenda ‘De Champ,’ who clocked 2:57:06 over the distance.

“The route was challenging with hilly sections, but I managed it very well. I ran every kilometer with an average pace of about 4 minutes and 13 seconds,” Arinawe, a casual runner and a member of the Gutsy Running Club, said.

The second edition run that also included 21, 10, and 5km routes was organized under the theme ‘Run for your legend’ and culminated in an Athlete Career-Plus, a year-round program that will equip athletes with essential life skills.

Some of the legends who participated and were celebrated at the event were from different sports disciplines like athletics, football, rugby, basketball, volleyball, table tennis, and boxing. They included Moses Kipsiro, Phillip Obwiny, Victor Wadia, David Bukenya, Alex Mubiru, Bukenya, Alice Gitta Okecho, Flavia Oketcho, Mujib Kasule, and upcoming boxer Isaac ‘Zebra’ Ssenyange Junior.

Some of the runners on their way to the finish during the Legends Marathon, April 13, 2025. Photo by Michael Nsubuga

Speaking after the race, Andrew Mwanguhya, the event’s director, said the event will continue to create awareness about things like saving and why it is important to plan for life beyond sport and life beyond your current pay cheque. He said the Legends Marathon is not only for sportsmen and women but one that communicates to everyone. He said more partners are coming on board to support the program because the transitional program needs to be implemented ahead of the third edition.

“This is a transition program that has everything to do with mental health, entrepreneurship, life skills, coaching, mentorship, and creating job opportunities for the young ones and impacting life through sports,” Mwanguhya said.

“Beyond celebrating our athletes on social media whenever they win, now you can actually put in the money to ensure that you empower them so that when you meet them on the road, they are not begging.

“So, empower them now so that they can also inspire others. For parents, we want to create a clear path to glory for the young ones because when they see that athlete happy and economically empowered, they would also want to be like them,” Mwanguhya stated.

The NCS Acting Assistant General Secretary-Administration, Sarah Chelangat, thanked the organisers for coming up with this great initiative of recognizing and appreciating our legends.

“Sport plays an important role in unifying people in society. Sport does not only entertain people but can spur economic development as well,” she noted.

She implored the organizers to continue with the event because it aligns with the government’s agenda as per the new sports law. She urged all the Ugandans to support the Legends Marathon so that through the run our sportsmen can continue to get the recognition and opportunities for job placements and sponsorships. She also encouraged all Ugandans to love sport for their personal fitness and for economic empowerment.

UAF president Domenic Otucet promised that they will work with the organizers for the third edition to raise its profile to an even higher level.

“Sport is an area that brings people together and makes us proud as a nation. We are keen on working with the legends to reach out to the current athletes and prepare them for life after sport,” Otucet said.

The legends who participated in the event welcomed the initiative aimed at honouring people that brought honour to the country.

“If the support we get as athletes is not translated in real life, then it wasted time.  We have a challenge of transitioning from active sports to normal life, and as time goes on, people forget about us, so a project like this for people to remember and recognize us is good,” Kasule said.

“When you support the Legends Marathon, it is going to support us in turn, and it will help us do projects. We thank you for bringing us back into the light and also for encouraging us to do projects. We can also be pilots in other areas. We are thereafter able to inspire other athletes as business people and people who can matter to society beyond the game, and this platform has done that,” he stated.