adminSenior Sports Reporter
THE Bulawayo Athletic Board (Bab) will today hold the final trial of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair Coca-Cola Four-Minute Mile race at White City Stadium. Thirty-one athletes have already qualified for the annual meet, whose final will be at the ZITF main arena on Saturday. Bab chairman Manuel Mpofu said today’s race is meant to prepare athletes for the final.
“We’ve been holding trials for more than a month across the country and the final trials for the ZITF Coca-Cola Four-Minute Mile event is on tomorrow (today). We’re going to have runners from Harare, the uniformed forces, Bulawayo and schools from Bulawayo and around the city. The qualifying time for the race is four minutes 31 seconds. All athletes who want to compete at the finals will have to go through qualifiers or else they’ll miss out,” said Mpofu.
Harare-based top runners Cephas Pasipamire and Kelvin Pangiso are expected to compete in today’s qualifiers.
Mpofu said should they make it today, they will have to compete in the semi-finals set for Friday at White City Stadium where the top 20 runners will contest Saturday’s final.
Defending champion Trust Chidomaya, who won last year’s race in four minutes 16 seconds, secured a place for the weekend meet in four minutes 25 seconds.
Qualified athletes
Levison Mafuva, Boniface Jeki, Simbarashe Chigadaga, Trust Hove, Collen Matende, Charles Makanda ( All Black Rhinos), Wirimayi Juwawo (Shabanie Mine), Nkosiyazi Sibanda, Tawanda Matunhu, Vinel Moyo(all Blanket Mine), Jacob Mugomeri (Zimpost Kadoma), Thanks Mapiwa, Dumo Mkwananzi, Thamsanqa Ncube, Bismarck Ndlovu (all Sparrows), Tendai Zimuto, Wellington Varevi, Nyasha Mutsetse, Titus Nyathi(all Harare Athletics Club), Kelvin Gundani (Ziscosteel), Willard Mutasa(One Brigade), Ntando Maphosa, Hlalani Ngwenya(Sparrows), Admire Chiurawa(Mashonaland East ), Respect Chinosiya(Masvingo), Kenias Mabone(Banket), Amon Moyo, John Payarira, Barberton Mhlanga, Trust Chidomaya (ZRP Fairbridge), Jonathan Chinyoka (ZPCS Harare)
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