The events, last held in 2019, will now be supported by the Sam Matekane Foundation (SMF), a sister company to the Matekane Group of Companies (MGC).

Both races, which were previously sponsored by MGC, will now receive a boost of M600,000 from SMF.

This includes M400,000 allocated for the Bocheletsane Half Marathon and M200,000 for the Tour de Bocheletsane. SMF aims to bring stability and improvement to these sporting events, emphasising the importance of healthy competition.

Baba Malephane, speaking on behalf of SMF, expressed the foundation's interest in supporting the development of sports in Lesotho. "There will not be stability in sports if there are no competitions," he stated.

He further noted: “This is because there will not be stability in sports if there are no competitions.” Malephane, a former executive member of the Lesotho Football Association (LeFA), highlighted the foundation's commitment to enhancing the sports landscape.

In response to the news, Tšeliso Pheta, President of the Federation of Athletics Lesotho (FAL), expressed gratitude to SMF for the return of the Bocheletsane Half Marathon. “Thanks a lot to the Sam Matekane Foundation for returning this race,” he said. Pheta acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding the event's return post the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mark West, speaking on behalf of the Lesotho National Olympic Committee (LNOC), expressed satisfaction with the increased sponsorships. "We are very happy as LNOC to learn of this initiative, particularly the increased amount of sponsorships, because over the past few years we have experienced a decrease in sponsorships," he said.

West emphasised the importance of competitions in attracting athletes not only from Lesotho but also from neighboring countries. He believes increased prize money will encourage higher levels of performance and draw participants from South Africa, Eswatini, and Botswana.