JUBA, South Sudan — The Watoto Juba City Marathon is set to take place this Saturday, October 3, with the Juba National Stadium serving as both the starting and finishing point for the event.
Held under the theme “Hope in Every Mile. Run to Support a Vulnerable Mother,” the marathon will combine road running with a wider community initiative aimed at supporting vulnerable mothers.
The event will feature three race categories — 21km, 10km and 5km — with athletes expected to begin assembling at the stadium early in the morning. Race-day operations will start at 5:30am, when teams responsible for water points, medical services, refereeing, security and traffic management will arrive and take up their designated positions along the routes.
Participants will begin arriving from 5:45am, with registration and bib collection taking place during the early preparations. Warm-ups and a medical briefing will also form part of the build-up to the races.
A prayer and opening communication from the host organisation, Watoto, is scheduled for 6:00am–6:05am.
The 21km race will be the first to leave the starting line at 6:15am, followed by the 10km at 6:25am and the 5km at 6:35am. The first finishers are expected between 6:55am and 7:15am, when participants in the 10km and 5km races return to the stadium, alongside planned crowd-engagement activities.
Attention will then turn to the 21km field, with runners expected to complete the course between 7:15am and 7:45am.
From competition to community
Once the races are completed, the programme will move into a series of worship, entertainment and community activities. Worship and prayer are scheduled for 7:45am, followed by Better Days | There Is Hope Production from 8:00am to 8:15am.
The programme will then feature mothers' testimonies and the Mothers segment from 8:15am to 8:25am, bringing the event's social message into focus.
The marathon is therefore designed to go beyond the competition itself, using athletics as a platform to bring people together while highlighting support for vulnerable mothers.
Race-Day Schedule
| TimeProgramme | |
| 5:30am | Arrival and stationing of race teams and support services |
| 5:45–6:00am | Participant arrival, registration and bib collection |
| 5:45–6:15am | Warm-up and medical briefing |
| 6:00–6:05am | Prayer and Watoto communication |
| 6:15am | 21km flag-off |
| 6:25am | 🏃10km flag-off |
| 6:35am | 5km flag-off |
| 6:55–7:15am | 10km & 5km finishes + crowd engagement |
| 7:15–7:45am | 21km finishes |
| 7:45am | Worship & prayer |
| 8:00–8:15am | *Better Days |
| 8:15–8:25am | Mothers' testimonies + Mothers segment |
With the Juba National Stadium serving as the start and finish venue, organisers are preparing an early-morning programme involving athletes, race officials, medical teams, security personnel, traffic police and spectators.
For participants, the message remains at the heart of Saturday's event: “Hope in Every Mile. Run to Support a Vulnerable Mother.”
Sports Hunter South Sudan will bring updates from the Watoto Juba City Marathon as the capital prepares for a morning of athletics and community action.
