Released on: March 16, 2008, 7:06 am

Press Release Author: John Mchaffie

Industry: Industrial

Press Release Summary: Kenya Fluorspar sponsors an annual road race which attracts
hundreds of runners from the region. From Olympic hopefuls to others living in the
community, this race even included Kenya Fluorspar CEO, Charles Field-Marsham among
the participants.

Press Release Body: The races get underway and the casual observer cannot fail to be
impressed by the sight of hundreds of young Kenyan athletes racing past the cheering
crowds, looking every inch the champions they want to be.

John Manners, an American athletics aficionado who lived in Kenya as a boy, flew in
from his home in New Jersey partly to see the race. \"Just look at the talent here,\"
he said. \"This is a small, local road race, and yet there are literally scores of
runners performing at a level that would be national class in almost any other
country. You know, there are lots of people in the West who follow athletics but
don\'t know Kenya. Some of them speculate that Kenyans must be doping to achieve the
results they do. Those skeptics should come to a race like this. This would make
them believers!\"

But there is more to the event than the showcasing of young talent. As the five-
kilometre "Fun Run" that preceded the main events shows (and as the T-shirt made for
the event proudly stated) this is a community that simply "loves to run".

Young and old, fit and not-so-fit, it doesn't matter. They race round the course to
the cheers - and a few giggles - of the appreciative crowd. They include Lina
Chepsaigut, mother of 10, grandmother of 17, who sells vegetables at Kimwarer
Market, who comes near the end of the field, but still finishes strongly.
Afterwards, barely out of breath, she says she decided to join in on the spur of the
moment "for the fun of it".

For the record, the main races are won by former world cross-country junior
medallist Barnabas Kosgei and Berlin marathon bronze medallist Hellen Kiprop. There
is also an international flavour, with a team from Uganda, one runner from Tanzania
and a couple of runners from Europe.

At the colourful prize-giving ceremony, Patrick Sang, representing Athletics Kenya,
urged the organisers to try to attract even more international runners as a way of
encouraging sports tourism.

The event costs Kenya Fluorspar around Ksh 1.2million and is part of the company's
extensive programme for the local community, which includes provision of education
and health facilities. The company's executive director, Charles Field-Marsham, flew
in from Canada for the event and competed in and completed the 10-kilometre race.

He said later: "The races and especially the fun run are among the highlights of the
year for our staff and the local community. As you can see, the energy and spirit
shown by both the participants and the spectators is very special. Sport,
particularly running, is an important part of the social fabric of our community."

He added that the company would hope to encourage increased participation of
international runners without losing the community spirit of the event.

Web Site: http://www.kenyafluorspar.com

Contact Details: Kenya Fluorspar
P.O. Box 14732
Nairobi, Kenya 00100