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Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
SOME of the country’s top athletes have registered to take part in the fifth edition of the Liquor Hub 10km Fun Road Race this morning.
The competition is sure to be stiff in the senior men where Trust Chidomaya, Misheck Sithole, Ngonidzashe Ncube, Isaac Mpofu, Phathisa Ngwabi, Abel Chanda, Elijah Mabhunu, Trust Hove and last year’s runner-up Moses Tarakinyu all taking to the road this morning.
Chitungwiza-based Canisious Nyamutsita, winner of Liquor Hub 10km Fun Road Race in the senior men had not registered when the process closed yesterday evening. Nyamutsita in 2018 crossed the finish line in 29 minutes 34,48 seconds, which is the best time ever set since the competition started in 2015
In the women’s category, last year’s winner, Patience Garauzive of Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services, Anne Chirisa and Olivia Chitate are some of the country’s elite long-distance runners who have registered.
Registration, which was pegged at $50 for seniors and $30, closed yesterday evening. A total of 215 athletes registered for the 5km walk and 10km fun run.
Good prizes are once again in store for the athletes, with the winner of the senior men as well as women’s races set to walk away with R5 000.
The prize for second place is R3 000 while R2 000 will go to those who will finish in third position.
For junior men and women, the winners will get R1 500, R1 000 for second prize and R500 for third place. The first prize for the wheelchair men and women is R2 000 and R1 500 for number two.
There are also prizes for the youngest male and female athletes, with R200 to be given to the first young athletes to cross the finish line and R150 for those in second place.
Liquor Hub owner Raj Modi, who is also the Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce and MP for Bulawayo South is the sponsor of the race.
Bulawayo Athletics Board will also use the occasion to hand out awards to 15 individuals at the end of the race. According to Bab chairman, Manuel Mpofu, the awards are being supported by Liquor Hub Wholesale Centre and Sportzone Sports Shop.
Meanwhile, the Tuskers Fun Run and Cook Out, which was meant to take place last Friday is now on 23 December. The event was called off due to fears that it might be disrupted by rain, since the cook-out is an outdoor activity.
Tuskers marketing consultant, Agnes Mhuriyengwe said holding the fun run as well as cook-out on the same day is meant to promote a healthy lifestyle while affording the cricketers an opportunity to take their minds off cricket, mix and mingle with the Bulawayo community.
“It’s the first of its kind in the City of Kings and Queens. The event has been designed under the theme ‘Let’s have fun as we run, walk, cook and chill out’. The objective of this initiative is promoting a healthy lifestyle, a healthy body equals a healthy mind, to enjoy rather than compete, we would want people to come out of their busy schedules and have a good time with their friends and loved ones,” Mhuriyengwe said.
Cresta Churchill is the starting point for the Fun Run which ends at Queens Sports Club where the cook-out is taking place in a picnic set up. Agribank are the main sponsors with NetOne also coming in a big way.
Lots of activities have been lined up on that day with volleyball, five-a-side football, horse riding, photo shoots, Zumba with Ricco and water slides being what people can take part in.
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