Chronicle Editor
Innocent Kurira
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THE ZITF Coca-Cola Four-Minute Mile is back today with a strong field of athletes and as such there is stiff competition. But can any of these athletes beat the four-minute mile challenge at the ZITF grounds this afternoon?
Grey Mavhera is the only athlete to have beaten the four-minute mile challenge 28 years ago and that was by only 2 seconds. Wellington Varevi, who has won the race three years in a row is yet to run under four minutes.
Varevi has qualified again this year with a time of four minutes 24,23 seconds and is aiming for his fourth consecutive win.
Bulawayo Athletics Board (Bab) chairperson Watson Madanyika is optimistic about the athletes in the final breaking the four-minute mark.
“These are some of the best athletes that we have in the country for this event. It’s not an easy challenge but with the likes of Isaac Mpofu, Varevi and Nomore Wiriki in there, records can be broken,” he said.
The 17 athletes who have made it to the final include Munyaradzi Zizhou and Mthokozisi Mhlanga, both from Blanket Mine, who were the first to qualify.
Zizhou ran a time of 4 minutes 27,17 seconds while Mhlanga finished the race in four minutes 30 seconds in a field of five athletes. Isaac Mpofu and Blessmore Chidziva are also in the mix, with Mpofu managing a time of four minutes 23,58 seconds and Chidziva clocking four minutes 24,72 seconds.
The other athletes qualified from an event in Harare, with Nyasha Mutsetse managing a time of four minutes 20 seconds and Levison Mapfuwa finishing in four minutes 21 seconds.
Nomore Wiriki had a time of four minutes 23 seconds and Trust Hove crossed the line in four minutes 24 seconds. Godwin Katakura was not far behind with a time of four minutes 25 seconds. The Black Rhinos duo of Munashe Mundure and Bornface Jeki also made it to the semi-finals with times of four minutes 27 seconds and four minutes 30 seconds respectively.
Varevi will be looking forward to winning it four times in a row but breaking Mavhera’s record would be monumental. The race is sponsored by Coca-Cola and its bottling partners in Zimbabwe, Delta Beverages. — @innocentskizoe
Online Reporter