Chronicle Editor
Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
REGISTRATION for the inaugural POSB 15km road race to be held at Bulawayo Athletic Club (BAC) tomorrow closes this afternoon, with the Bulawayo Athletics Board (Bab) saying they are ready for the meet.
Bab are the technical partners for the race which is being supported by 10km and 5km fun runs, whose targets are health and fitness enthusiasts as well as up-and-coming primary and secondary school athletes.
Manuel Mpofu, Bab chairman yesterday said they are expecting at least 1 000 participants for the race.
“Registration is free and has been going on throughout the week at the POSB branches in Bulawayo. Registration closes at 4PM tomorrow (today) at BAC so that we compile the starting sheet. At the close of registration we will then compile a list of the first 700 participants who registered for the race so that they are rewarded with T-shirts,” said Mpofu.
He could not be drawn into revealing how many athletes had registered for the race by end of yesterday as they were yet to collect data.
All the races will start and finish at BAC. The 15km race will start at 6:30AM, the 10km at 7AM and the 5km event at 7:30AM.
The 5km participants will make a U-turn at the Munda Lodge sign post and heard back to BAC using the same route. Those competing in the 10km race will proceed along Matopos Road and make a U-turn at the bus stop just after Cecil Avenue in Hillside.
Athletes competing in the main 15km race will proceed along Matopos Road; pass Cresta Hotel and Four Winds shopping centre before making a U-turn at Judith Road to head back to BAC along the same path.
Meanwhile, prizes have been reserved for the 15km race. The winners of the open category will get $750, with the runners-up walking away with $500, while the third-placed runners in both the men and women’s 15km race will pocket $250.
The sponsors will reward the first and second athletes with identical $150 and $100 in the veterans, masters, grand masters and wheelchair categories. — @ZililoR
Online Reporter