On your marks, get set, and go! In less than four days, on Sunday, 6 November, thousands of athletes will gear up and wait eagerly at the starting point to take off and compete in the 27th edition of the People’s Race. The starting point is FNB Stadium for all the distances, including the 42km marathon which starts at 05:30 am, the 21km at 6:30 am, and the 10km at 7:30 am.

​A phenomenal organising team has been working tirelessly behind the scenes to bring the tough race back to Soweto after the Covid-19 lockdown.

The race is returning after a 24-month halt, and it’s back with a bang. It will bring together an estimated 20,000 athletes. It has already attracted a few superstars, one of whom is Louzanne Coetzee, a paralympic medallist.

“It’s the people who make this race, and that’s why it’s called the People’s Race,” says Soweto Marathon Trust Chairman, Sello Khunou.

Khunou says the marathon has a positive impact in Soweto, Gauteng, and South Africa at large.

“Before race day, we get thousands of volunteers to work on the event from athletic clubs in Soweto and the greater Gauteng region. On race day, we have about 7,500 clubs, companies, and community members who work in the race; they’re getting paid, meaning the race creates temporary jobs and contributes about R197-million to the gross domestic product (GDP) in Gauteng.”

Khunou says the Soweto Marathon supports sports development.

“This is a great race that supports the objectives of the City and the Gauteng provincial government. We strive for development and to alleviate poverty through the race. It is a blessing that it is hosted in the City of Johannesburg,” he adds.

The Soweto Marathon will trace some of the most historic routes in the township. Athletes will run past historic sites and famous tourist attractions, among which are the Regina Mundi Catholic Church, one of the prominent churches that played a pivotal role during apartheid.

They’ll also go through Vilakazi Street, the only street in the world where two Nobel Peace Prize winners – former president Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu – resided, the Hector Pieterson Memorial, and the majestic Orlando Stadium.

If you aren’t participating, don’t forget to cheer the runners on along the route. Read more about the route here: Soweto 2022- Route Information.pdf

Written by Brümilda Swartbooi

02/11/2022