Stanbic Bank Botswana said it recognises the wealth of local talent in the athletic space, acknowledging and celebrating local athletes who excelled in the 2016 Diacore Gaborone Marathon (DGM). The Bank on Thursday 30th June 2016 rewarded local athletes who excelled in the 21.1km leg of this year’s DGM in an effort to promote and nurture of local sporting talent ever further. The initiative follows the 3-year P350,000 sponsorship partnership between Stanbic Bank Botswana Corporate and Investment Banking and DGM, which gives Stanbic Bank naming rights to the 21.1km.
The top Motswana male athlete, in the 21.1km race, Mr. Rapula Diphoko, came in at 01:06:06. His female counterpart, Onneile Dintwe, completed her race in 01:17:31. Each received P5, 000.00 cash prizes for their efforts from Stanbic Bank Botswana, along with sporting merchandise courtesy of the Bank.
“This is the 4th consecutive year the Bank has partnered to sponsor DGM, and the second consecutive in which Stanbic Bank rewards top local athletes who participated in the annual sporting event. For us, this is a means towards promoting sporting excellence and, beyond that, encouraging a greater culture of growing our very own Batswana in the athletics space. We have seen Botswana’s athletes excel in recent months in the international arena, flying Botswana’s flag high at every opportunity. What we, as a community, need to do is to ensure every possible talent is given the chance to thrive in this way,” said Sheperd Aisam, Head of Corporate and Investment Banking at Stanbic Bank Botswana.
“This year’s Marathon continued to build upon a trend of increased participation, with a record turnout from local, regional and international athletes and amateurs intent doing their very best. For us, to see Botswana born athletes running highly competitive times and competing at an international level right here on our home soil is the realization of everything that we aspired to at the conception of the Diacore Gaborone Marathon. We are very proud of our athletes and what they have managed to achieve,” alluded Thabo Makgato, Head of PR and Marketing, Diacore Gaborone Marathon.
This year’s Marathon saw record participation, including over 300 members of Stanbic Bank staff who earned accolade for Most Participants for the second consecutive year.
“We want to ensure Botswana’s athletics talent is truly mined and grown to its full potential. We hope this gesture goes some way towards helping us achieve the goal of greater access to and development of local sporting talent, allowing us to produce more incredible stars” added Aisam.
Fastest Female, Onneile Dintwe shared her immense gratitude with the Bank. “I am humbled by Stanbic Bank’s prize, as it encourages me to continue to train and to run so that I can get better every year. Platforms such as these are the springboard to other regional and even international races, and so it is even more motivating that recognition and support are received from the very beginning,” she noted.