Chronicle Editor
Ricky Zililo
THE second leg of the Cycling Zimbabwe national championships will be held in Harare on Saturday, just a week after the first leg was staged in Bulawayo.
Seniors and junior riders will compete for the podium finish at the Harare meet.
Davis Muhambi, president of Cycling Zimbabwe said the stage is set for the Harare championships, adding that the Bulawayo meet was a success with 35 participants.
“We held our first leg of the Cycling Zimbabwe National championship series road race for the senior categories. We had the Under-23s, elites who are 24-years-old up to 40 years, masters 40-50 years and veterans who are above 50 years, they took part in both men and women’s races.
“It was a good thing to have the national series in Bulawayo, it was a tough race and the event went well. On April 22, both seniors and juniors will have their road races leading to crowning of respective age groups’ national champions in Harare,” said Muhambi.
Defending national champion in the elite men’s category that is for athletes between the ages of 24 and 40 years old, Rodrick Shumba won the Bulawayo race that was held along Plumtree Road. Redwood Ultra-City was the starting and finishing point.
Twelve riders competed in the 160km elite men’s race, with Shumba of Tswairo Club clocking four hours 28 minutes 10 seconds. Andrew Chikwaka, who also crossed the line in four hours 28 minutes 10 seconds was second with his Siyephambili Club teammate Advocate Phiri coming third in four hours 33 minutes 59 seconds. Former national champion Nkulumo Dube was fourth, a second behind Phiri.
Also competing in the 160km race were the men’s Under-23 cyclists. Lizwilenkosi Sibanda came first in the five-participant race in four hours 54 minutes 46 seconds, with Tinashe Marima second in four hours 54 minutes 46 seconds, while Tavanashe Ndemera was a distant third in a time of five hours 48 minutes 48 seconds.
Four women took part in the 80km elite competition, where Skye Davidson was first in two hours 20 minutes 59 seconds followed by Hellen Mitchel who clocked two hours 37 minutes 51 seconds, while Priscila Mashamba was third two seconds later. Faith Tuhwa didn’t finish the race.
Two women, Constance Kurira and Belinda Wilson took part in the masters’ 80km race, with the former winning in a time of three hours 20 minutes 16 seconds and the latter crossing the line in three hours 22 minutes 37 seconds.
Ralph Mthupha won the men’s veterans’ 80km race, clocking two hours 19 minutes 34 seconds, followed by Rob Sinclair in two hours 19 minutes 52 seconds, with James Freeland third in two hours 20 minutes 13 seconds.
Shine Doko beat seven men masters participants in the 80km race, coming home in two hours 19 minutes 32 seconds while Muhambi was second in two hours 20 minutes 09 seconds, with Said Brian Willes third in a time of two hours 39 minutes 51 seconds. — @ZililoR
Online Reporter