Mombasa Launches Ocean Cleanup Triathlon with Plastic-Weighted Finish

Mombasa hosted the Blue Clean Triathlon on September 21, 2025—where athletes collected marine debris during the 5km run, adding weight to backpacks before finishing. Total haul: 3.2 tonnes of plastic, recycled into race medals. Your effort cleans more than your sweat, said organizer Dr. Salim Ali (KMFRI). Over 750 participants joined, including Olympian Hellen Obiri. Safaricom matched KSh 100 per kg collected, funding beach clean-up co-ops. The event is now annual, with Lamu and Malindi joining in 2026. UNEP cited it as a best practice in sport-for-environment.