Malawi – Olympic Dreams

January 19

Hello everyone!

As you may be aware, one of my main interests is running. I run with a group every Saturday, usually going off-road through the shrubbery of Lilongwe. This weekend was different, however, as we ran in the national stadium.

The eerie interior of the Bingu National Stadium (BNS)

Runners starting a 5,000 metres time trial

Yes, Malawi’s actual national stadium. The Bingu National Stadium (BNS) has seemed distinctly out of place in Lilongwe ever since its inception. The venue, which looks like a cracked open beetle or the remnants of an alien spacecraft, opened in 2017.

The entrance we used to get into the stadium

You can see the stadium from our garden

It is used…sparingly. For a while, the Malawian national football team played matched there but they have recently moved games to Blantyre. I’m not sure if it’s related to the stampede in July 2017 which killed eight people. Big club games are occasionally played here but more often than not the space-age stadium is left empty.

The screen in the stadium was used to show
matches from the 2018 World Cup 

To ensure it doesn’t reach ‘white elephant’ status so soon after being inaugurated, the BNS is available for rent. The cost, MWK 100,000, is out of reach for most, but if enough people pool together, it can be borrowed for a reasonable amount. Thinking from a global standpoint, imagine renting Wembley for £100. Consider the likelihood of having full access to the Maracana, the Rose Bowl or the Nou Camp for $125.

The stadium is multi-functional - this is an advert for
a fashion festival

Rather than renting the whole stadium, you can
just pay MWK 2,000 to use the track 

Members of our group organised a time trial running event, with each person paying MWK 3,000 to cover what for us is a relatively small cost. What you get in return is access to what must be Malawi’s best running track.

The WhatsApp advert...

...and the fancy sign at the stadium!

Running in a national stadium – admittedly without the 45,000 crowd roaring or the screen beaming my run into the stratosphere – was a great and eerie experience, and certainly an interesting change from our usual runs into the countryside. I can’t see myself competing in Tokyo with this time but it’s nice to dream!

Finishing my 3,000 metres run

Runners starting the 5,000 metres

Not many people fancied the 6am start for the 3,000 metres...

The BNS has certainly had its problems since a deal was agreed with China to build the venue, with power and water cuts, unpaid bills and vandalism occurring. I do feel that the money could have been spent far more constructively in the country, particularly as the men’s football team don’t seem to be using it anymore. I know this view is shared by many in Malawi.

The stadium was built with a significant Chinese loan

Aerial shot of the BNS

Nonetheless, it has been built and when (for expats) it is so cheap to use, it’s a great facility and option for us. Besides, where else can you rock up and run at a national stadium?

Tokyo 2020 - not likely...

Out of place - maize fields in front of the stadium

One of my stranger running maps...

Love you all

Matt