Vusumuzi Dube
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
ONE more athlete has qualified for the semifinals of the Coca-Cola Four Minute Mile Challenge, which brings to 10 the number of runners to have a shot at booking a place in the final of the race to be held at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair Main Arena on 30 April.
In the qualifiers held at White City Stadium on Wednesday, Trust Hove of Black Rhinos Athletics Club was the only one to book his place in the semifinals. The 30-year-old Hove clocked four minutes, 26.76 seconds. Dumisani Siziba of Super Stars failed to qualify as his time was outside the cut off while the duo of Hebert Maseko and Mthokozisi Ncube did not qualify.
Hove joins the already qualified Wellington Varevi, Tapiwa Chineka, Nyasha Mutsetse, Levison Mapfuwa, Humphrey Kunaka, Elijah Mabhunu and Bornface Jeki, Godwin Katakura and Nomore Wiriki for the semifinals slated for White City Stadium a day before the actual race. Seven of the athletes qualified at Morris Depot in Harare on Monday.
More qualifiers are lined up for Bulawayo and Gwanda ahead of the semifinals. The semis are meant to select the best 20 athletes to have a shot at the big prize.
A cash prize of ZWL$112 00 awaits the winner of the race while ZWL$56 000 is store for the first runner up and ZWL$49 000 for the second runner up.
Like it has been the norm over the years, prizes are awarded all the way up to position 10. -@Mdawini_29
Online Reporter