adminTobias Mandoreba in Hwange
ZIMBABWE National Army HQ1 Brigade (Mzilikazi) runner Leonard Koki (40) won the second edition of the Binga Kasambabezi Marathon at the weekend.
Koki crossed the finishing line in two hours 50 minutes followed by Brightmore Mbombo of Binga, who clocked three hours 44 minutes and 56 seconds.
Koki walked away with a Kwese TV decoder, T-shirt, gold medal, certificate and cash prizes courtesy of Agribank and Total Service Station.
In the women’s marathon, only two contestants, Thulani Ngwenya and Mapenzi Munkwombwe took part. Ngwenya took the prize in four hours 28 minutes and six seconds, while Munkwombwe managed 4:31:05.
Hwange Athletics Club’s Phatisa Ngwabi beat 12 other contestants to win the men’s 21km race, while Immaculate Muchimba was tops in the women’s run.
Abiton Mwembe from Binga clinched the 10km race, with Costa Muleya and Agnes Mudimba winning the men’s and women’s 5km run respectively.
Donald Tshuma (65) won the special recognition award after completing the 21km run.
Albert Munsaka won the secondary schools’ boys’ 5km male race and Patience Muunga took the girls’ category.
In the 5km boys’ primary schools’ race, Brayen Mudimba took top prize, while Phiona Munkuli won the girls’ race.
Guest of honour Munyaradzi Chikwama urged the youths to take sport seriously, saying it helped them shun drug and substance abuse as well as to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
@tobymandox
Online Reporter