Chokera wins marathon

and South Africa on Saturday morning.
Herbert Chokera, Kudakwashe Kanduna and Paul Mhizha flew the national flag high when they took the first three places.

For their efforts the athletes pocketed R4 000, R2 500 and R1 500 respectively.
The main event started at Nottingham Estate turn off, some 10 km outside Beitbridge town along the Beitbridge Bulawayo road and finished at Eric Louw High school in Musina town. Over 40 long distance athletes including Zimbabwean and South Africans took part in the cross-border race. Kanduna started off as the favorite in the cross border race but was overtaken by Chokera of Mr Price athletics club some 2km from the finish.

Chokera romped to victory after he crossed the finishing line in 2 hours 32 minutes and 16 seconds, followed by Kanduna who arrived in 2 hours 35 minutes and 46 seconds. Mhizha was the third to arrive in 2 hours 44 minutes and 8 seconds.
To add to his performance Mhizha was also rewarded as the first athlete to cross the finishing line in the veterans category.

The event, which is held as a way of celebrating the twinning agreement between Beitbridge and Musina local authorities was sponsored by newly elected Musina mayor Caroline Phiri along with Sabc Radio station Phalaphala FM and Limpopo Athletics Club, Soutpasenberg.
The two countries marathon started in 1996 as part of the Centenary celebrations of Musina municipality before it was spread to Zimbabwe in 2006.

There were Zimbabwean women in the main event which was subsequently won by Jane Mudau of Bonitas Athletics club in South Africa who romped home in 3 hours 23 minutes followed by Vanessa Fourie and Shelly Masindi who arrived 15 minutes later.

In the half marathon Zimbabwean trio of Tabitha Tsatsa, Olivia Chitate and Hellen Chiundo scooped all the accolades at stake after the came out as the top three.
The half-marathon started and ended at Eric Louw High school.The lanky Tsatsa who won the race for the third time running clocked 1 hour 19 minutes while the others two ladies arrived 1 minute late.

Another Zimbabwean athlete, Patrick Chimuchenga of Harare Central Hospital, was on the winners’ podium for coming first in the men’s half marathon and also winning the veterans category in the same race.

Professional walker Forgive Chadzima added colour to the event after he came out on a credible second position in the men’s 10km walking race, which started and ended at Eric Louw High school.
Zimbabwe’s event co-ordinator Agnes Singo was full of praises for team Zimbabwe adding that she hoped the event would be better and bigger next year.