ATHLETICS administrator Banele Sindani yesterday described Nike's arrival as new Soweto Marathon sponsors as a business card for them to win confidence of the business sector again.

Sindani, who is the chief executive of the Soweto Marathon Trust, commended the sports apparel company for embracing this iconic event, which will be held on November 2.

"We are delighted the marathon is back, what makes us even more happy is that we have a top international company endorsing the event by coming on board as title sponsors.

"We hope to see more big companies coming to support us financially as was the case in the past, we really want to see the Soweto Marathon growing bigger and better.

"It must attract top runners from across the globe, we will also have to get more sponsorship so that the prize money will also increase tremendously to lure the best to participate," said Sindani.

Last year, the marathon was cancelled at the 11th hour due to lack of sponsorship.

The last time the marathon was sponsored was in 2009 after the withdrawal of Nedbank.

Speaking at the same event at the Walter Sisulu Square in Soweto, Athletics SA (ASA) president Aleck Skhosana assured the 21000 runners expected to participate that they will deliver a successful race.

"First of all, we want to apologise to runners that the marathon was cancelled last year because of boardrooms problems. It will never happen again," he said.

The SABC will televise the race live.

The marathon was started by former ASA president Leonard Chuene in 1992, along with Horatio Motjuwadi, Sindani, Boycie Ntlwane, Robert Mthembu, Thatayami Mokgoiwa, Pam Taiton, Peter Zwane and Shadrack Morgan - who were involved as part of the Soweto Athletics Concerned Group.