THE prize money for the Econet Victoria Falls marathon set for June 29 has been increased with the winners of the main event expected to pocket $800 up from $600. The total prizes are expected to amount to $10 000.
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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.
According to the Victoria Falls marathon website, the winner of this year’s men and women’s marathon would each pocket $800, $675 for the second-placed athletes, $500 for third spot, $400 will got to the fourth-placed athlete, $300 for position five, $200 will go to the sixth-placed athletes and $150 for position seven.
The eighth-placed athletes would each get $100, with the ninth-placed expected to walk away with $75 while the tenth-placed athlete would receive $50.
The winner of the half-marathon would get $450, runner up $325, third-placed $250, fourth-placed would pocket $200, the fifth-placed athlete would be awarded $150, sixth-placed $125, $100 for position seven, $75 for position eight, $50 for position nine and $25 for position 10.
The competition has 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.
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Meanwhile, the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo half-marathon which was set for June 29 in Bulawayo has been postponed to a later date as it coincides with the Econet event.
Matabeleland South long-distance runner Nkosiyazi Sibanda hit the tape first to win the inaugural Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo half-marathon in Bulawayo in September last year and will be the defending champion of the Econet 42km marathon as well.
In the Joshua Mqabuko half-marathon Sibanda walked away with $500 first prize in the male category after getting the better of Wirimayi Juwawo in the last 500m of the race setting a record time of 1hr 5mins 42secs for the new competition.
In the women’s category, Olivia Chitate of ZRP Harare walked away $500 richer after leading the pack through the course to romp home in 1hr 23mins, 35secs.
The marathon aimed at perpetuating the legacy of the late Vice-President Nkomo started from Joshua Nkomo Museum in Matsheumhlope which is the late vice-president’s residency to his house in Pelandaba.
