Three qualify for ZITF Four-minute mile finalé

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
THREE athletes have qualified for the annual ZITF Coca-Cola Four-Minute Mile finals to be held in April in Bulawayo.

The Delta Beverages-sponsored competition takes place during the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair and this year’s exhibition runs from April 26 to 30.

Sparrows Club duo of Ntando Maphosa and Dumo Mkhwananzi as well as Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services Harare’s Jonathan Chinyoka ran under four minutes 31 seconds which is the qualifying time.

Maphosa’s qualifying time is four minutes 25 seconds while Mkhwananzi made it for the April finals after running the mile in four minutes 26 seconds while Chinyoka’s time was four minutes 30 seconds.

Bulawayo Athletics Board (BAB) secretary-general Dailes Bingadadi said the semi-finals will be held on April 29 at either Gifford High School or the ZITF Main Arena, with the final held the following day.

“The qualifiers for the ZITF Coca-Cola Four-Minute Mile finals started last week here in Bulawayo and we will be moving to other provinces holding qualifiers during their Track and Field events. We hope to have more athletes making it in under four minutes 31 seconds. However, qualifying doesn’t mean one goes straight to the final, they still have to run in the semi-finals which will be held a day before the final. Last year we had 19 finalists and we are saying 20 people with best times after the semi-final will run the final,” said Bingadadi.

Zimbabwe Republic Police athlete Trust Chidomaya is the defending champion after clocking four minutes 16 seconds in a tightly contested 2015 race where he walked away with $800.

Cephas Pasipamire also of ZRP was second in a time of four minutes 16,71 seconds while ’ Chinyoka emerged third in a time of four minutes 17,90 seconds.