adminLovemore Dube Sports Editor
BULAWAYO City Council is organising a 42km marathon as part of festivities to celebrate its city status. Bulawayo turns 70 years as a city in November and the local authority wants to celebrate in style.Nesisa Mpofu, the city council’s spokesperson yesterday could neither deny nor confirm the marathon. She said a number of people were still to be consulted as to what would constitute the activities for the celebrations.
“We are working with a number of partners on this (celebrations). I cannot confirm further as we are still consulting on the issue (marathon),” said Mpofu.
Authoritative sources close to the proceedings said 2 November would be the date for the marathon. The event will start at Pelandaba and will be run through a number of suburbs and end at White City Stadium.
The hosting of the marathon, the standard 42km will come as a relief to athletics enthusiasts who have not had one since the late 1980s.
The Merlin Marathon was once one of the flagship races in the country attracting top athletes from all over the country. Since then athletes have been restricted to one ultra-marathon, the Matopos 33 Miler which was this year sponsored by Pretoria Portland Cement with the Hope Fountain 30km and the How Mine 21km providing serious road runners a chance to test their strength ahead of more lucrative races in South Africa.
Those graduating from the track and hoping to make a name in road running participate in the annual Nkulumane Spar 10km race which started in 1997.
Marathon running is now a high paying profession with athletes getting winning prizes as high as R250 000 for some races in South Africa. Some enjoy good club and corporate sponsorship but before they can be considered by clubs across the Limpopo, they have to prove themselves.
To date the Econet Victoria Falls Marathon, Sunshine City and Peace Marathons are the three standard 42km races for local runners. They are however poorly sponsored with winners in some instances paid as little as $500, something which has a bearing on the quality of the field. Athletics coach and former athlete Teurayi Chinguwa has welcomed the prospect of another road race.
He said this would be good for athletics but said there should be more races to build up to major and longer events.
“It is a welcome development if they stage the marathon. However, I feel there must be more races to enable athletes to enhance their careers through regular competitions,” said the former Mpopoma High School and Sparrows Athletics Club star.
Chinguwa has Phathisa Ngwabi running for his club at Hwange Colliery who has the potential to do well in 21-42km events.
Previous city marathons used to attract athletes like Abel Nkhoma, Lazwell Ngoma, the late Mathias Kanda, Musaope Phiri, Kenias Tembo and Freddie Kashiri.
Meanwhile, Bulawayo City Council has remained tightlipped on the full entertainment programme for the planned celebrations.
A Thamsanqa Ncube who is based in South Africa and is believed to be part of the organising team, could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Online Reporter