THE National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe (Naaz) is in negotiations with Econet Wireless, sponsors of the Victoria Falls marathon, for them to increase this year’s prize money.
THANDIWE MOYO SPORTS CORRESPONDENT
The marathon is scheduled for June 29 in the resort town.
Last year’s winner walked away with $600, $420 for second, $350 for the third athlete, while the fourth to 10th-placed athletes got $300, $250, $200, $150, $100, $80 and $50 respectively.
In the half-marathon, the winner was awarded $300 with the second-placed athlete getting $210, $175 for the third, $150 for fourth, $125, $100, $75, $50, $40 and 25 for number five to 10 respectively. Naaz vice-president Enias Nhoro yesterday confirmed that they were negotiating with the sponsors.
“We have approached them and asked them if they could try and increase the prize money for this year’s race. We are still talking to them. However, preparations for the marathon are underway,” he said.
Nhoro said they were expecting a number of seasoned long-distance athletes to take part in the marathon.
“We are expecting around 255 athletes to compete with the seasoned long-distance athletes expected to be part of the competition. We have not started the registration process, but we are bound to have a good number of athletes,” he said.
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Last year Nkosiyazi Sibanda successfully defended his title when he finished the race in 2hrs 19mins 11secs which was 4mins 14secs faster than the 2hrs 23mins 25secs in 2012.
He beat a field that included Leonard Koki, Collin Parura, Lyno Muchena, Charles Soza and Patrick Chipoyi.
The marathon has in the past attracted athletes from Kenya, Zambia, Scotland, Australia, Japan, Brazil, South Africa, Germany, France, Britain, the United States, Ukraine, Switzerland, Trinidad, Swaziland, Canada, Holland and Ireland.
