The Comrades Marathon Association (CMA) has announced the new sports apparel partner to The Ultimate Human Race. CMA Chairperson, Cheryl Winn confirmed, at an official launch in Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday, 21 January 2020 that one of the country’s most popular sporting apparel retail brands, Mr Price Sport, has signed a three-year sponsorship agreement with the Comrades Marathon.

The Mr Price Group and Mr Price Sport are not new to the sports sponsorship fraternity, having previously served as the Comrades Marathon’s Information Technology (IT) sponsor for 12 years.

They have also sponsored over 15 Comrades Marathon gold medallists through the Mr Price Sport’s Maxed Elite running team. With the group’s diverse network of retail outlets across the country, Comrades athletes were able to enter the race with ease and efficiency.

The Mr Price Group is a local company that was started in Durban in 1985. Since its inception, the clothing, homeware and sports apparel retailer has grown nationally and internationally, with a network of over 1300 hundred outlets.

Under the agreement, the Mr Price Sport division has positioned itself as the Comrades Marathon’s official sports apparel partner; as well as the licensing and merchandising partner for the event, with a technical and lifestyle range of Maxed running apparel and footwear, which will be launched in the build-up to this year’s Down Run on Sunday, 14th June 2020.

Starting with #Comrades2020, the three-year sponsorship will cover this year’s event as well as the 2021 Centenary Race and the 2022 edition. Winn has welcomed Mr Price Sport as a new CMA sponsor, saying, “It is with a huge sense of excitement that we conclude this sponsorship agreement with Mr Price Sport and welcome them to the Comrades Marathon family.”

Winn adds, “We previously had a fantastic relationship with Mr Price when the group had very generously and ably sponsored our IT requirements and was committed to the success of The Ultimate Human Race. We are delighted to be working with them again and once again look forward to the passion, positivity and value they bring to the relationship. The CMA is immensely pleased to be associated with this KZN-based international retailer.”

CMA General Manager, Keletso Totlhanyo says, “From our interactions and engagements with the Mr Price Sport team, we already know that we will work incredibly well together. Being proudly South African brands, both Mr Price Sport and the Comrades Marathon understand the road-running domain and the needs of our runners. We welcome Mr Price Sport as the official sports apparel partner to the Comrades Marathon.”

Head of Marketing at Mr Price Sport, Dylan Cherry says, “It is a privilege to partner with The Comrades Marathon. This event is about passion and partnership; as Mr Price Sport we share these values in developing our products and creating value”.

Cherry added, “This is an extraordinary opportunity for us to partner with the Comrades Marathon Association in creating exceptional Maxed sportswear and footwear product for the Comrades Marathon runners and supporter’s community.”

NOTE: The 2020 Comrades Marathon takes place on Sunday, 14 June 2020. This will be the 95th edition of The Ultimate Human Race and the 47th Down Run, starting at the Pietermaritzburg City Hall at 5h30 and finishing 12 hours later at Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium.