SPONSORS of the Matopos 33-Miler ultra-marathon, PPC Zimbabwe will sponsor this year’s competition, set for Sunday to the tune of $20 000.
RONALD MOYO SPORTS REPORTER
PPC Zimbabwe director for business development Gavin Stephens yesterday confirmed the sponsorship.
“PPC is engaged in sponsoring marathons in Botswana and South Africa. So as PPC Zimbabwe, we thought of sponsoring this prosperous competition. There is $9 600 for the winners in all categories and including all the expenses of the competition, we should be giving $20 000. We expect first-class athletics events which will include our professional and top athletes,” he said.
“The Bulawayo and the Matopo community should benefit from this event. We are expecting athletes and families to come and witness the competition.”
Competitions such as Reibeck marathon in Western Cape and Krematart in the Limpopo Province in South Africa and Botswana marathon in Gaborone are also sponsored by PPC. Defending champion in the men’s category, Michael Ngaaseke, has excused himself from the event. Ngaaseke who is now based in South Africa, yesterday said he will not be available to defend his title.
“I am not coming for the competition. There is another 42km race in Durban on April 26 that I should take part in, so I will not be available,” Ngaaseke said.
The veteran athlete romped home in three hours 16mins 42secs to win last year’s event in the men’s category pocketing $600 prize money. Monica Kativhu, who won in the women’s section will be hoping to retain her title.
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She will be coming into the competition aware that the likes of Olivia Chitate, Thabitha Tsatsa, Faith and Constance Nyasango and veteran Samukeliso Moyo would be angling for the top prize.
Kativhu hit the tape in five hours four minutes 51secs to win last year’s event. Blanket Mine’s Nkosiyazi Sibanda, Wirimayi Juwawo, Black Rhino’s Simbarashe Chikadaga, Kelvin Pangiso, Jonathan Chinyoka and Phathisa Ngwabi are some of the top athletes expected to battle it out in the men’s category.
