. . .unpaid athletes’ prizes remain a hurdle
Leemisa Thuseho
THE Mountain Marathon 21 is unlikely to take place this year after the sponsor failed to honour pledged payments to some of last year’s winners.
The race made its debut on 26 October 2024 at Ha-Noosi village, Qacha’s Nek, but almost a year later, some of the top finishers are still waiting for their prize money to be deposited into their accounts.
The marathon was supposed to be an annual event but there is still no sign of preparations in place, with only three months to go before November, the month set for the race.
Speaking to the Lesotho Times this week, one of the race organisers and the event spokesperson, Mosiuoa Nthakong, conceded that the chances of the race being staged this season are getting slim as each day passes.
He said so far they haven’t done anything towards preparation for the race.
“Up to now there is nothing happening and the chances of hosting the event are very slim until further notice,” Nthakong told the Lesotho Times.
What makes things even worse is there has not been any communication between the organisers and the sponsor lately.
The race was bankrolled to the tune of M1.2 million by Manti Sehloho Construction and Projects (MSCP), making it the most lucrative athletics competition in the country at the time.
“There is nothing much we can share as it has been a while since we spoke with the sponsor,” Nthakong said.
Efforts to get a comment from MSCP were unsuccessful as phones rang unanswered.
Olympian Tebello Ramakongoana, who completed the 21.1km race in 1:10:04 won the men’s category last year and was promised M150,000 in prize money, but eight months later, he has not received any money.
The top five finishers in both the men’s and women’s categories were also promised payouts.
While the four male runners who finished behind Ramakongoana – Lebenya Nkoka, Kamohelo Mofolo, Tsietsi Sello, and Thabang Sekonyela – have all been paid, the champion remains unpaid.
In the women’s category, none of the winners has received their prize money.
Those still awaiting the promised payments include first-place finisher ’Neheng Khatala, who was also promised M150,000, along with Lineo Mahloko, Ntebaleng Letšela, Likeleli Majara, and ’Mamosebetsi Khajoane.
The organisers have repeatedly promised that payments will be made without providing any clear explanation for the delays.
As frustration grows, many athletes have begun labelling what was once hailed as Lesotho’s richest race a “scam”.
Despite the outstanding payments, the race organisers had expressed interest in staging the event again this year.
However, that now seems very unlikely, as most athletes have lost interest, and the Federation of Athletics Lesotho (FAL) is prepared to block the event unless all outstanding payments are settled.
“The event will not be allowed to go ahead until all our athletes have been paid,” said FAL public relations officer, Nkoebe Makhalemele.
This publication has also learned that FAL is considering taking legal action against the organisers, although they are not in a hurry to do so since the organisers have insisted they plan to settle the outstanding payments.
One of the race organisers and the event spokesperson, Mosiuoa Nthakong, admitted that there was still no “tangible” progress regarding the delayed payments.
“To be honest, I have nothing tangible to share at the moment,” Nthakong told the Lesotho Times.
“We are still willing to continue with the race, but we must first resolve all the issues and mistakes encountered. I believe owning up to those mistakes is key.”
However, Nthakong remained unclear about what exactly was causing the delay in payments.
