adminThe revelation will surely raise interest among athletes who have ambitions of competing in one of the most gruelling races in the world.
In a statement on their official website, the organisers of the Victoria Falls Marathon announced that the qualifying period for the Two Oceans and Comrades Marathons opened on 1 July 2012 and would close on 20 February 2013.
“Please note that the Victoria Falls Marathon is a qualifying event for the Two Oceans and Comrades marathons. Qualifying period for 2013 will be as follows, 1 July 2012 to 20 February 2013,” read the statement.
Meanwhile, one of the organisers of the Victoria Falls Marathon, John Addison, said some athletes started arriving yesterday, mainly from outside the country while the majority and mainly Zimbabwean athletes, would be in the resort town today.
“Registration is at Kingdom Hotel starting today. Everything else is in place and we are just waiting to get the race under way and crown the winners,” said Addison in an interview with Chronicle Sport yesterday.
The race is recognised by the International Association of Athletics’ Federations.
For the full marathon, the race starts just before 7am opposite the Victoria Falls Post Office and all runners have been urged to wear their running bibs clearly on the front.
The half marathon will start from the same place exactly 30 minutes later.
Harare-based athlete Michael Ngaseke is the defending champion in the full marathon after clocking 2 hours 24 minutes. His time was however, 0.03 minutes outside that of 2010 winner Tapiwa Chingandiya who came home in 2 hours 21 minutes.
Ngaseke will likely seek to defend his title after outpacing second placed Kudakwashe Kanduna who was home in 2 hours 30 minutes with third placed Ronald Chasara clocking 2 hours 32 minutes.
Lizzie Chokore was the winner in the women’s category with a time of 2 hours 51 minutes followed by Olivia Chitate who crossed the finish line in 2 hours 53 minutes with Tanzania’s Bannelia Blayton finishing in 2 hours 58 minutes.
Kelvin Pangiso defended his half marathon title and could be seeking to make it three out of three in this year’s edition, but Matabeleland South-based athlete, Nkosiyazi Sibanda, winner of this year’s 12km National Cross Championships held at Alan Lowry Golf Club, will also be eager to wrest the title from Panganiso. In last year’s event Sibanda was 20 seconds behind Panganiso who clocked 1 hour 7 minutes.
Winners of the full marathon for both men and women will walk away with $600, second placed will get $420 with the bronze medal winner getting $350.
Athletes finishing inside 300 will each get a T-shirt and a medal. In the Zambezi Lite Lager-sponsored half marathon, winners will get half of the full marathon prizemoney although up to 600 athletes will be given T-shirts and medals.
Online Reporter