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Ellina Mhlanga Senior Sports Reporter
MOSES Tarakinyu and Rutendo Nyahora were yesterday crowned champions for the Harare Athletic Club Nyaradzo Memorial Run at Old Georgians Sports Club.
Tarakinyu was the first to cross the finish line in the men’s section, for the 32km race in 1 hour 41 minutes 11 seconds.
The Black Rhinos Athletics Club athlete is working towards running his first marathon this year and yesterday’s race was part of his build-up.
“The race was okay. It’s part of my preparation for my target, which is a marathon. So I wanted to assess my splits, to see how I am doing and I am happy because previously I did this 32km run in Polokwane and my splits were 3:07 but today my splits were 3:06.
“So it shows that I am improving. I have not started tapering, I have not started working on speed work and I am just doing part of the training program I have, so it shows there is a big improvement.
“I am just going for one marathon this year, where I am targeting qualification (for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games) and also competing in my first marathon,” said Tarakinyu. Cadence Athletics Club’s pair of Blessing Waison and Godwin Katakura were second and third in 1 hour 41 minutes 16 seconds and 1 hour 44 minutes 50 seconds respectively.
South Africa-based Nyahora, claimed the women’s title in 2 hours and 7 minutes 39 seconds, followed by Ossly Murambidzi with a time of 2 hours 12 minutes 40 seconds. Patience Garauzive was third in 2 hours 15 minutes 36 seconds.
Nyahora is chasing qualification for the Olympic Games and is scheduled to compete at the Vienna City Marathon in April.
“The race was okay. It was a training run for me because according to my program, I was supposed to maintain 3:50 (minutes) per kilometre just to see how my body was reacting. After all, now I am preparing for the marathon. So I could see my body is reacting the way we want it to,” Nyahora said. For the 32km race, the winners got $250. The men’s 21km title went to Kelvin Pangiso of Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service in 1 hour 7 minutes and 2 seconds. Mr. Pace Athletics Club’s Wayne Kabondo came in on second position in 1 hour and 7 minutes 14 seconds while Abel Chibanda of Eagles settled for third place in 1 hour 8 minutes 6 seconds.
Ethel Pangiso from ZRP Athletics Club also had a good day when winning the women’s 21km in 1 hour and 23 minutes 19 seconds. Pangiso said the event was part of her preparations for other forthcoming major races.
“It was a good race. I just took it as my training . . . I think I need to do some long runs so that I will go for a marathon because I want to go for the Kazungula Marathon, so that’s what I am preparing for,” said Pangiso.
Melody Chikonzi came second in 1 hour 25 minutes 44 seconds while Rudo Mhonderwa was third in 1 hour 27 minutes 36 seconds. Wellington Varevi won the men’s 10km in 30 minutes 12 seconds while Lizzy Dendamera emerged tops in the women’s section in 56 minutes 12 seconds.
HAC chairperson Walter Chimuka was impressed with the turnout and said their races are a build-up for most athletes towards the Two Oceans and Comrades Marathon.
“This is the first big-sponsored run . . . We are building up to the next one, which will be full a marathon in two weeks. Then we will have another full marathon after a month building to the Two Oceans Marathon, which is in Cape Town, that’s in April.
“Then ultimately on the 9th of June we have got the Comrades Marathon, which is what most people will be working their way towards, so this is the first one in that route,” said Chimuka.
More than 1,000 participants took part in the event.
Online Reporter