Athletes to fork out more for PPC Matopo race

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
REGISTRATION for the annual PPC Matopos 33-Miler Ultra Marathon to be held on April 6 has opened.

Organisers of the tournament have hiked registration fees, with those participating in the main event, the 33-miler (53km), forking out $25 from last year’s $10, while half-marathon (21.1km) runners will part with $20 up from $10.

The race attracted a record 2 500 runners athletes in 2018, with the bulk of participants competing in the 10km and 5km fun runs, whose registration fees was $5 then.

This year, the fun runs will cost $10.

Manuel Mpofu, Bulawayo Athletics Board (Bab) chairman, is hopeful the event will attract another huge number despite an increase in registration fees.

“Registration has started and people can start collecting registration forms at the PPC offices in Bulawayo. This is the premium event of the year and as such we expect a big turnout. The registration fees have been increased and the prize schedule will be announced in due course when the sponsors do the official launch,” said Mpofu.

Last year Black Rhinos Athletics Club runner Andrew Chimbidzai won the tightly contested men’s 33-miler after summoning all his remaining energy in the final stretch to finish five seconds ahead of Nkosiyazi Sibanda of Blanket Mine.

Chimbidzai completed the race in three hours 12 minutes 23 seconds, while Sibanda crossed the finish line in three hours 12 minutes 28 seconds.

In the women’s section, Chiedza Chikore was first in four hours nine minutes and 10 seconds, followed by Muchaneta Gwata, who completed the race 44 seconds later.

The winners in both categories each got $1 000, with the runners-up pocketing $750.

Organisers of the race last year adopted international standards by engaging timing giants, ChampionChip Africa to time the 21km and 53km races and as a result, the race became classified as a qualifier for the Comrades Marathon.

ChampionChip is one of the biggest timing companies in Africa and is the official timer of top South African marathons, the Comrades and Two Oceans marathons.

– @ZililoR