NAAZ supports City Marathon

City Marathon scheduled for this weekend in Harare.
The 42km race is pencilled in for Sunday and is expected to attract foreign athletes.

Mungwari said the event comes as a boost to local long distance runners and expressed hope that it will be a success.
“It is extremely exciting to the local athletes. That will give them a lot of hope. This marathon is going to be competitive . . . it may be even be better in terms of prizes than some of the events in South Africa.
“This is going to be the beginning of good things to come,” Mungwari said.

The NAAZ president said they were hoping the race will become an annual event.
“We are very excited about the competition and we want to give our support to the event to ensure that it becomes an annual event.
“This is more in the right direction and we are seeing that there is light at the end of the tunnel in terms of development.

“This is going to be an indicator to those athletes who want mileage.
“I have no doubt that all the senior athletes in Zimbabwe are preparing for the event and will come to compete,” said Mungwari.
The race is set to start at the National Sports Stadium, pass through the northern suburbs and finish at the giant facility.

The event is being organised by the XHIBI-IT Event Management Company and the total prize money for the competition is US$70 000.
It is one of the newest long distance events on the domestic calendar and is set to become one of Africa’s major sporting events.
The event is set to attract a broad range of interests, promoting the spirit of endurance, fitness, friendship and fun.

It will also involve the corporate challenge with participants taking part in a 5km race, and the schools challenge focusing on encouraging young people to participate in sport.
Some of the foreign athletes who have confirmed their participation include Mbunguha Vetisee, Ottilie Aimwata, Rachel Akukothela, Anna Amutoko from Namibia while from Kenya Boniface Cheruiyot, Joshua Kipchumba and Edwin Korir are expected to compete.