adminRicky Zililo Sports Reporter
THE Bulawayo Athletics Board (BAB) in association with the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Trust will on 29 September hold a 21km race in Bulawayo. The country’s top athletes are expected to compete at inaugural Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Half Marathon.
Dailes Bingadadi, the Bulawayo Athletics Board secretary-general said organisers had started preparations for the event.
The event will start at Nkomo’s Matsheumhlophe home and end at his Pelandaba house.
“As BAB we are very excited to be part of the first edition of the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Half Marathon. The Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Trust has already started looking for partners so that the event is bigger and more rewarding. We are working on the route and we will announce it in due course,” said Bingadadi.
The Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Half Marathon is the second road race of the year in Bulawayo after the Matopos 33 Miler Ultra-Marathon which was held in April. Some of the top athletes expected to participate at the competition to be held later this month include Gilbert Mutandiro, Nkosiyazi Sibanda, Leonard Koki, Jacob Mugomeri, Elijah Mabhunu, the Nyasango sisters Faith and Constance and veteran Samukelio Moyo among others.
Meanwhile, Bingadadi said the Old Mutual Nkulumane Complex 10km which was initially set for next Sunday has been postponed to a later date.
“We are still waiting for the organisers to respond and seeing that they have been silent we have decided to put the competition on hold. We are hoping to meet with Old Mutual so that we find out when to slot the competition,” Bingadadi said.
The Old Mutual 10km race starts and finishes at Nkulumane Complex. The athletes run along Siyephambili Drive, turn right at the Rangemore Road, pass through Bullet Shopping Centre along Queen Elizabeth road, past Mqamlazwe and then turn right at the Nkulumane 12 Roman Catholic Church to join Ntemba. They then turn right again at the Khami/Ntemba intersection robots and finish the race at Nkulumane Complex.
The other remaining event for the year include the Belmont Rotary Club sponsored Hope Fountain 30km road race, Masiyephambili Marathon and the Nkulumane Spar 10km race.
Online Reporter