Pictured above: Sandro Pisani, Head of Marketing at Vodafone Malta and Joe Micallef, Malta Marathon & M2S Race Director

Vodafone Malta has been named official sponsor of the Malta Marathon for the next five years. The event will therefore be known as the ‘Vodafone Malta Marathon’.

“Since its beginning 28 years ago, the Malta Marathon has always been sponsored by prestigious brands and I would like to take this opportunity to thank Vodafone for giving us their support,” said Joe Micallef, Malta Marathon & M2S Race Director during a visit at Vodafone’s Head Office at Skyparks. “The MMOC are very pleased to be associated with Vodafone, a world leading name in the telecommunications industry.”

The Malta Marathon is one of Malta’s most popular international sporting events. Started off with just 109 participants in 1986, the marathon has seen a yearly increase in the number of local and international participants, becoming a truly international event firmly set in the Maltese sports calendar. It is by far the largest sporting event on the island. The 2014 Vodafone Malta Marathon will be held on February 23 and will start outside the bastions of Malta’s old capital, Mdina and will head through to Rabat, Nigret, Mtarfa and Ta’ Qali. The route will  take the athletes round Ta’ Qali, down to Attard and Mosta and along the Mriehel and Hamrun bypass, Marsa and Blata L-Bajda. The last 5km of the route passes along the Sa’ Maison, Pieta, Msida, Ta’ Xbiex and Gzira waterfronts up to the finish in Sliema.

“We are very excited about supporting this local sporting event and we are committed to help make this already popular event, bigger with standards that go beyond the norm,” said Sandro Pisani, Head of Marketing at Vodafone Malta. “Marathons are fast becoming very popular amongst the Maltese population and we simply couldn’t miss the opportunity to be involved in the largest running event in Malta.”