Despite being the most prestigious event on the national athletics calendar, the big names in the region have shunned this year’s edition if the Kigali International marathon.

The event, which is scheduled for next Sunday had been expected to attract over 4000 participants from different parts of the world including the big names in the region but so far only 400 hundred have so far confirmed.

The athletes federation Executive Secretary Constantin Twajamahoro told Times Sport yesterday that it is going to be "very hard” to attract the big names because the prize money on offer is "too little” to what they normally get.

"The majority of the local participants like late registration, that’s why we expect the number to rise to over 300 thousand,” he noted.

"We are not expecting any big names this time round because the prize money is very little compared to what they normally get,” Twajamahoro admitted.

The winner of the full marathon (42km) both in the men and women’s category will bag $2000, the first and second runners-up will get $15000 and $1000 respectively.

Already, local favorite Dieudonne Disi has pulled out of the event with a leg injury he suffered during last month’s Paris marathon.

The Kigali International Marathon is supported by President Paul Kagame and sponsored by the ministry of Sports and Culture, Rwanda National Olympic Committee, ORTPN/RDB, UN and Soroptimist International.

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