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Takudzwa Chitsiga
Sports Reporter
DEFENDING Two Oceans Marathon champion Moses Tarakinyu headlines a cast of respected local long-distance runners that are expected to compete in the Musabvunda Half-Marathon on Sunday.
Over 1 000 long-distance runners from across the country will converge for the 21km race that will start and finish at the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Sports Club in Harare.
Perennial campaigners Prosper Mutirwa and Blessing Waison, who participated at the World Cross Country Championships in Australia in February, are also expected to grace the race this coming weekend.
Waison is a former winner of the Exide Marathon and also came second in last year’s Victoria Falls Marathon. Gladys Nyamusosa, Olivia Chitate and Ossly Murambidzi are some of the top attractions in the women’s section.
Musabvunda Half Marathon organiser, Kudzai Pasipanodya, said the preparations for this year’s edition were at an advanced stage with more than 1 200 athletes having registered for the road race.
“All is set for this year’s edition of the Musabvunda Half-Marathon to be held at RBZ Sports Club which will be bigger and better.
“There has been an overwhelming response by athletes for this year’s edition and as of Friday we had more than 1 200 athletes having registered for the half-marathon,” Pasipanodya said.
The Musabvunda Half-Marathon is in its second year and has attracted athletes that have participated in the Two Oceans and Comrades Marathon in South Africa.
“We are excited to have the athletes that have participated in the Two Oceans, Comrades, World Cross Country Championships coming in to participate, this shows that the half-marathon is growing,” Pasipanodya said.
Pasipanodya revealed that the half-marathon will adhere to international standards where time trackers will be used by all participants.
“The half-marathon we will be holding will adhere to international standards where we will have time splits which participants can use as entrants at other local and international events considering the times that they will have achieved.”
The deadline for registration for participants lapsed on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, after hosting an eight-week challenge, known as the Biggest Loser and Biggest Gainer, Pasipanodya said the fitness programmes were being done as a way of fighting drug abuse and keeping healthy.
“We have a full calendar of events lined for the whole year, this is in line with country’s call for the fight against drug abuse while we also want to promote a healthy nation.
“As it is said a healthy nation is a productive nation,” he said
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