BANK of Africa Tanzania has sponsored two athletes and their coach to compete in the fifth Bamako International Marathon set to start in West Africa's nation Mali on Sunday. Presenting a National flag and three return air tickets sponsored by the bank in Dar es Salaam on Thursday, the Assistant Director in the Ministry of Information, Youth, Culture and Sports, Juliana Yassoda urged the athletes to compete and come with medals.

"The government recognizes the importance of sports and it is up to you (athletes to represent well our country in the international competition," the director said, adding apart from generating incomes, sports keep the human body physically stable. She thanked the bank for sponsoring the athletes to the international game for three years running, saying other institutions should borrow the leaf as the bank does.

Speaking at the same function, the Bank's Managing Director, Ammish Owusu-Amoah said Tanzania will be represented by Gidahech Shamba and Paul Msumbuko who have had competed in Beijing International Marathon in China.

"We as the bank have sponsored these athletes from their training, return air tickets and their fourday stay subsistence allowance," he said, pledging more support to the sports development in Tanzania.