Earlier this year it was announced that World Athletics (WA), who govern the sport of athletics around the World, had not only officially recognized the two world 50km records set at last year’s Nedbank Runified Breaking Barriers 50km but also awarded the event a WA label which made it the first and only ultra-marathon event in the world to receive a label. It was an amazing feat for an event that is only a year old, however late last night, WA confirmed that they have now upgraded the event to an Elite Label status.
WA has 3 levels when it comes to labels which consists of World label, Elite label, and Platinum label. With the event now sitting on the 2nd tier, it elevates the event to another level in terms of elite athletes, prize money and at a management level both from an organizing perspective and technical perspective to ensure that everything is done as per WA regulations. “I am so excited to announce that our Nedbank Breaking Barriers 50km in only its 2nd year is now ranked by World Athletics as an elite label event and it now puts us on par with many of the World’s biggest city marathons,” said an elated race director Nick Bester. “Not only that, but we are the first and only ultra-marathon in the world to achieve this recognition.”
With the event now holding an Elite label, the standard of athletes competing is boosted with the event now attracting not only the best South African athletes but top-quality international athletes too. “We have had such a great interest from some world class marathon runners outside of South Africa who will add more excitement to the field,” said Bester. Prize money for the event will also see an increase now as WA require certain criteria when it comes to the awarding of prize money for events that hold an Elite label.
With the support of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality to host a world class event, Bester is happy that the event has found itself a stable home for the next 3 years. “NB Sport Promotions are proud to say that we have signed a 3-year deal together with the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality to keep the event in Gqeberha from 2022 to 2024.”
A major plus for the sport of athletics is that a percentage of prize money gets deducted from athletes, athletes’ managers and the event itself which is allocated to a pool of funding overseen by the Athletes Integrity Unit (AIU) which goes towards better doping controls both in and out of competition to ensure a clean sport for all.
This year’s Nedbank Runified Breaking Barriers 50km returns to the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality on 6 March 2022 and will also be shown live to viewers around the World. For more information on the event, please contact the NB Sport race office nbsport@lantic.net or nickb@lantic.net . Alternatively you can also contact 012 541 0577