Chronicle Editor
Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
THE country’s top athletes are expected to compete at the fifth edition of the Liquor Hub 10km Fun Run to be held tomorrow in Bulawayo.
Manuel Mpofu, the Bulawayo Athletics Board (Bab) chairman said the prize money which will be paid in forex is the competition’s draw card.
The winners of the men and women’s categories will walk away with R5 000, with second-placed athletes getting R3 000 while athletes who will come home third will each get R2 000.
In the juniors’ category, the winners of boys’ and girls’ categories will get R1 500, R1 000 for second prize and R500 for third place. In the wheelchair section the first prize is pegged at R2 000 and those coming in second get R1 500.
There are also prizes for the youngest male and female athletes, with R200 to be given to the first young athlete to cross the finish line and R150 for the second.
“Everything is set for the race and we are looking forward to having between 400 and 500 participants. Registration which is underway at Wholesale Centre Groceries and Liquor Hub will close tomorrow (today) at 5pm. I believe we will have a good, strong field with late registrations expected from some of the country’s top athletes from outside Bulawayo. Prizes for the race are pegged in foreign currency and as such we are expecting a good show from the athletes,” said Mpofu.
Registration fees are pegged at $50 for senior athletes and $30 for juniors.
Last year, 300 athletes battled it out at the competition that was won by Chitungwiza-based road-runner Canisious Nyamutsita.
The seasoned Nyamutsita set a record of 29 minutes 34,48 seconds, breaking the record of 30 minutes 36,40 seconds set by Kevin Pangiso in 2015.
Tendai Zimuto won the 2016 race in 30 minutes 52,65 seconds, while Jacob Mugomeri clocked 30 minutes 36,56 seconds to win the 2017 edition. – @ZililoR
Online Reporter