Where Chingola Came Together to Run for a Reason
On 29 March 2025, Nchanga Golf Club became the starting point of a new chapter in Chingola's sporting and community story when it hosted the inaugural KCM Marathon.
Organised by Nchanga Golf Club and supported by Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) Plc, the inaugural event was conceived as more than a race. It was an initiative centred on health, community wellbeing, sports development and opportunity, bringing people together through the universal language of sport. KCM committed US$30,000 towards the event, with Mimbula Mineral Resources and T3 Drilling also among the sponsors announced at the launch. ([LinkedIn][1])
The event set an ambitious target of 2,000 runners, signalling from the outset that the KCM Marathon was intended to become a major fixture on Chingola's sporting calendar.
A Marathon for Everyone
The inaugural marathon was designed to welcome participants with different levels of fitness and experience. The programme featured four principal running distances:
42 km Marathon
21 km Half Marathon
10 km Run
5 km Run
An Executive 5 km walk was also included, broadening participation beyond competitive runners.
The 42 km winners were promised sponsorship to participate in the prestigious Comrades Marathon in South Africa, adding an international pathway to an event that was, at its heart, designed to develop local sporting participation.
For recreational runners, families, corporate teams and first-time participants, the shorter distances provided an opportunity to experience the excitement of race day without requiring the extensive preparation demanded by a full marathon.
Running for a Reason
One of the defining features of the inaugural KCM Marathon was its emphasis on health and wellness.
Participants had access to health services including blood-pressure checks, weight assessments, blood-sugar testing and first-aid support. In this way, the marathon connected physical activity with a broader message about taking responsibility for personal health and encouraging healthier lifestyles within the community.
The event also demonstrated how sport can become a platform for community development. Rather than treating the marathon simply as a one-day sporting competition, the organisers designed it to create benefits that would continue after the runners crossed the finish line.
Investing in the Future of Nchanga
An important part of the inaugural marathon's legacy was its connection to the development of Nchanga Golf Club itself.
Proceeds from the event were earmarked towards the refurbishment of the club and the establishment of a Junior Golf Section, helping create opportunities for young people to discover and develop their talent in golf.
This created a powerful connection between two sports that, at first glance, appear very different. The marathon brought thousands of people together through running, while its proceeds helped create opportunities for children to pick up a golf club and begin their own sporting journey.
That investment has since contributed to the revival of junior golf at Nchanga Golf Club, including the acquisition of new equipment to make the game more accessible to young players.
A New Tradition for Chingola
The inaugural KCM Marathon also demonstrated the ability of Chingola to come together around a major community event.
Runners, families, corporate teams, volunteers, health professionals, sponsors and supporters all became part of a shared experience. For Nchanga Golf Club, it represented an important evolution in the role the club plays within the community not simply as a home of championship golf, but as a venue capable of bringing people together around health, sport, recreation and social development.
The event also reflected KCM's broader involvement in sport and community development. KCM has supported numerous sporting disciplines in Zambia and has previously supported golf through sponsorship of the Zambia Open and investment in the Nchanga Golf Club course.
The Beginning of Something Bigger
Looking back, the inaugural KCM Marathon 2025 was more than the first edition of a new race. It established a foundation for what would become an annual community sporting platform.
Its success demonstrated that there was an appetite in Chingola for an event that combined fitness, competition, wellness, community and purpose.
Most importantly, the marathon left behind a legacy that extended beyond race day: stronger community engagement, greater awareness of healthy living, investment in sporting infrastructure and a renewed opportunity for young people to participate in golf.
The following year, the KCM Marathon returned with an even stronger vision, building upon the foundation laid in 2025 and embracing the theme “Manja Pamodzi – Together, We Can Achieve Great Things. ” The 2026 edition continued the event's development as a major community sporting occasion at Nchanga Golf Club.
A Legacy That Keeps Moving
From the first starting gun in March 2025, the KCM Marathon has become part of the evolving story of Nchanga Golf Club.
It represents what can happen when sport, business and community come together with a shared purpose.
And for Nchanga Golf Club, the inaugural marathon will always hold a special place in our history not simply because it was the first, but because it proved that when Chingola comes together, great things can happen.
Nchanga Golf Club est. 1936
Where Champions Are Made, and Memories Last.
On 29 March 2025, Nchanga Golf Club became the starting point of a new chapter in Chingola's sporting and community story when it hosted the inaugural KCM Marathon.
Organised by Nchanga Golf Club and supported by Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) Plc, the inaugural event was conceived as more than a race. It was an initiative centred on health, community wellbeing, sports development and opportunity, bringing people together through the universal language of sport. KCM committed US$30,000 towards the event, with Mimbula Mineral Resources and T3 Drilling also among the sponsors announced at the launch. ([LinkedIn][1])
The event set an ambitious target of 2,000 runners, signalling from the outset that the KCM Marathon was intended to become a major fixture on Chingola's sporting calendar.
A Marathon for Everyone
The inaugural marathon was designed to welcome participants with different levels of fitness and experience. The programme featured four principal running distances:
42 km Marathon
21 km Half Marathon
10 km Run
5 km Run
An Executive 5 km walk was also included, broadening participation beyond competitive runners.
The 42 km winners were promised sponsorship to participate in the prestigious Comrades Marathon in South Africa, adding an international pathway to an event that was, at its heart, designed to develop local sporting participation.
For recreational runners, families, corporate teams and first-time participants, the shorter distances provided an opportunity to experience the excitement of race day without requiring the extensive preparation demanded by a full marathon.
Running for a Reason
One of the defining features of the inaugural KCM Marathon was its emphasis on health and wellness.
Participants had access to health services including blood-pressure checks, weight assessments, blood-sugar testing and first-aid support. In this way, the marathon connected physical activity with a broader message about taking responsibility for personal health and encouraging healthier lifestyles within the community.
The event also demonstrated how sport can become a platform for community development. Rather than treating the marathon simply as a one-day sporting competition, the organisers designed it to create benefits that would continue after the runners crossed the finish line.
Investing in the Future of Nchanga
An important part of the inaugural marathon's legacy was its connection to the development of Nchanga Golf Club itself.
Proceeds from the event were earmarked towards the refurbishment of the club and the establishment of a Junior Golf Section, helping create opportunities for young people to discover and develop their talent in golf.
This created a powerful connection between two sports that, at first glance, appear very different. The marathon brought thousands of people together through running, while its proceeds helped create opportunities for children to pick up a golf club and begin their own sporting journey.
That investment has since contributed to the revival of junior golf at Nchanga Golf Club, including the acquisition of new equipment to make the game more accessible to young players.
A New Tradition for Chingola
The inaugural KCM Marathon also demonstrated the ability of Chingola to come together around a major community event.
Runners, families, corporate teams, volunteers, health professionals, sponsors and supporters all became part of a shared experience. For Nchanga Golf Club, it represented an important evolution in the role the club plays within the community not simply as a home of championship golf, but as a venue capable of bringing people together around health, sport, recreation and social development.
The event also reflected KCM's broader involvement in sport and community development. KCM has supported numerous sporting disciplines in Zambia and has previously supported golf through sponsorship of the Zambia Open and investment in the Nchanga Golf Club course.
The Beginning of Something Bigger
Looking back, the inaugural KCM Marathon 2025 was more than the first edition of a new race. It established a foundation for what would become an annual community sporting platform.
Its success demonstrated that there was an appetite in Chingola for an event that combined fitness, competition, wellness, community and purpose.
Most importantly, the marathon left behind a legacy that extended beyond race day: stronger community engagement, greater awareness of healthy living, investment in sporting infrastructure and a renewed opportunity for young people to participate in golf.
The following year, the KCM Marathon returned with an even stronger vision, building upon the foundation laid in 2025 and embracing the theme “Manja Pamodzi – Together, We Can Achieve Great Things. ” The 2026 edition continued the event's development as a major community sporting occasion at Nchanga Golf Club.
A Legacy That Keeps Moving
From the first starting gun in March 2025, the KCM Marathon has become part of the evolving story of Nchanga Golf Club.
It represents what can happen when sport, business and community come together with a shared purpose.
And for Nchanga Golf Club, the inaugural marathon will always hold a special place in our history not simply because it was the first, but because it proved that when Chingola comes together, great things can happen.
Nchanga Golf Club est. 1936
Where Champions Are Made, and Memories Last.
