A GOOD number of athletes have registered to take part in the historical inaugural Masiyephambili marathon that celebrates the City of King’s 70 years of existence today.
Ronald Moyo Sports Reporter
Thamsanqa Ncube, the chairperson of the organising committee confirmed a host of athletes were registered late.
“We are running up and down during such last hours of registration at City Hall. I cannot state the exact number of the registered athletes, but I can confirm that over 200 athletes have now been registered.
“By 5pm we will be done with registration so the buses will ferry athletes to show them the route for tomorrow’s (today) race,” Ncube said.
Dailes Bingadandi the Bulawayo Athletics secretary-general said the number of athletes who registered for today’s event was not a small number considering that there will also be another event in Kwekwe today.
“The number of registered athletes is good considering that the Masiyephambili marathon clashes with the Kwekwe festival also set for today.
“We have over 200 athletes registerd for all categories and we are pleased because we have athletes from all over the country which shows that this a very big event. We are also proud of South Africa-based athletes who have already registered to take part in this historical event,” Bingadadi added.
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“We would like to thank the sponsors of this marathon for their effort and commitment.
“They made the event possible. I can confirm now that we are ready to roll.”
PPC Cement, Edgars, Zimbabwe Tourism Authority and Bulawayo Autoworld are some of the institutions that have supported the marathon.
In the men’s category a stiff competition is certain with the pre-race favourite Nkosiyazi Sibanda set to battle it out with some seasoned athletes such as the Olympian Wirimayi Juwawo, Cuthbert Nyasango, George Majaji, Kudakwashe Shoko and Prodical Khumalo.
The women’s category will see the veteran Samukeliso Moyo taking on the likes of Tabitha Tsatsa, Constance Nyasango, Hellen Chiundo, Faith Nyasango and the Joshua Mqabuko half marathon winner Olivia Chitate.
The in-form Nkosiyazi Sibanda comes in to the race oozing with confidence after winning the Joshua Nkomo inaugural half marathon in September getting the better of Wirimayi Juwawo in the last 10km of the race.
“I will not look much into my last performance because this is a different race, so I have to treat it differently.
“The last race I won was 21km, tomorrow (today) I will be running 42km and the route is different, but I am prepared for the race,” Sibanda said.
The winners of the 42km race will walk away $1 500 richer, with the first runners up taking home $750, third-placed athletes will grab $600 while the fifth athlete will get $500.
In the half-marathon winners will take home $600, second placed athletes will get $500, for coming third athletes will walk away with $400, $300 for position four and $200 for the fifth position.
