Nkulumane half marathon clouded by controversy

**Athletes who were lost during the 33-miler race disembark from the leading vehicle at a spot ahead of other athletes (file photo)**

Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
THE Bulawayo Athletics Board (Bab)’s incompetence was exposed yesterday when athletes ran a 19km course instead of the intended 21.1km of the inaugural Old Mutual Nkulumane Half Marathon.

The event was previously a fun run incorporating only the 5km and 10km road runs, but organisers and sponsors opted to expand it by introducing the half marathon in order to attract top runners.

The event attracted the country’s top long distance runners, but they probably didn’t anticipate the disappointment of the half marathon being reduced to a longer version of a fun run when they found themselves crossing the finishing line 2.1km short of the required distance.

Chronicle Sport alerted Bab chairman Manuel Mpofu two weeks ago that the inaugural course was not the intended distance, but he was adamant that they had measured it diligently.

However, Mpofu was dithering yesterday after most runners complained that their GPS measurements gave them 19km and not the 21.1km half marathon.

“When we measure the distance for these events, we use a measuring wheel and this is the same instrument that we use for any other route. For this event, we just needed to add to the 10km that was already there. Our team did the measuring and verified that the distance was 21km, so l do not know how the distance is turning up to be inconsistent,” said Mpofu.

“It is a tricky situation, but my team and I will rectify the situation as soon as possible. We are going to measure the distance again so that we have a suitable route for athletes.”

In 2017 Bab were caught up in yet another organisational storm when athletes got lost in the PPC Matopos 33-Miler event. A group of 31 leading runners took the wrong turn in the Matopos National Park and headed towards Maleme Dam. They then drove the runners to the main road and dropped them ahead of other runners that took the correct route to continue the race.

Cansious Nyamutsita of Mr Pace Athletics Club won the men’s race yesterday in a time of 01:00:14. Followed by Misheck Sithole in 1 hour 38 seconds.

In the ladies category Bertha Chikanga won in 1 hour eight minutes, with Rudo Chimondera coming second in 1 hour 10 minutes.

Old Mutual, who support big races in South Africa such as the Two Oceans Marathon and the Comrades, also bankroll the Vumba Half Marathon, Chitungwiza 10km Fun Run and Westgate Half Marathon.