adminRicky Zililo Sports Reporter
MATABELELAND South long distance runner Nkosiyazi Sibanda won the inaugural Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Half-Marathon yesterday in a time of one hour five minutes and 42 seconds. The Blanket Mine athlete took home $500 and a bicycle donated by Tshinga Dube for crossing the line first, beating a field which had seasoned long distance runners.
The race started at the late Vice-President Nkomo’s Matsheumhlophe house and finished at his Pelandaba house.
Within the first 10km, Sibanda, Olympian Wirimai Juwawo, Elijah Mabhunu, Jonathan Chingoka, and Kelvin Pangiso broke away to take the lead running neck-on-neck from Montrose.
They passed through Nkulumane Shopping Complex still ahead of the chasing pack having opened a two kilometre gap.
By the time they reached Pelandaba Seventh Day Adventist Church along Hyde Park Road, with less than five kilometres remaining, Chingoka and Pangiso had dropped behind leaving Sibanda, Juwawo and Mabhunu to battle it out.
Mabhunu failed to keep up with Juwawo and Sibanda’s pace with a kilometre left to the finishing line, leaving the pacesetters to fight for the ultimate prize.
With 600m left, Juwawo tried to break away from Sibanda but the Blanket Mine runner also increased his speed and outpaced the former with less than 500m to go and in the process opened a 20m gap which Juwawo failed to close.
A jubilant Sibanda said he comfortably won the race.
“I am a marathon runner and this 21km race was very easy for me but the problem is I was sceptical of my competitors because some of them are used to this distance.
“There were a lot of top runners and I was afraid that they might outpace me but the good thing is that when I approached the 17km mark, I began to increase pace and some of the guys failed to keep up.
“I am happy with this victory, I feel very fit because the course wasn’t demanding as it was more of a straight one. I am used to running uphill courses,” said Sibanda.
Juwawo was the first runner-up in a time of one hour five minutes and 59 seconds taking home $350 while Mabhunu was the second runner up and pocketed $250. Pangiso was fourth in an hour six minutes and 12 seconds, followed by Ngonidzashe Ncube 35 seconds later while Chingoka was home in one hour six minutes and 48 seconds.
In the women’s category, Matopos 33 Miler Ultra-Marathon 21km race winner Olivia Chitate came first in one hour 23 minutes and 35 seconds and in the process took home the $500 prize money as well as a bicycle.
She blamed the wind for her time.
“I could have done better. The last time I raced in Bulawayo I had a time of one hour 19 minutes 33 seconds but still I am happy that I managed to win even though this was not one of my best times. The first part of the race was okay but the last 4km we were facing the wind and that disturbed my flow,” said Chitate.
Former Kujatana Nkubotu race winner Faith Nyasango was second in an hour 25 minutes and 21 seconds with Hellen Chiundo finishing third in one hour 27 minutes and 52 seconds.
The Minister of State for Provincial affairs for Bulawayo Eunice Sandi-Moyo, Retired Colonel Tshinga Dube and Bulawayo Mayor Martin Moyo were some of the high profile people who witnessed the Half-Marathon.
Online Reporter