MIDDLE-DISTANCE athlete Rutendo Nyahora successfully defended her Choppies 10km Road Race title following her 35mins 17secs victory in Bulawayo yesterday morning.
THANDIWE MOYO OWN CORRESPONDENT
Nyahora won the title last year in 31mins 10secs which was four minutes less than her time this year. In 2011 she completed the race in 32mins 41secs.
Olivia Chitate, who recently won the Old Mutual fun run came second in a time of 35mins 54secs while Faith Nyasango was third in 37mins 17secs and Annie Chirisa finished in 40mins 09secs in fourth position.
In the men’s category Kevin Pangiso gave himself an early Christmas present when he romped home in a time of 30mins 31secs beating a field of athletes who included Elijah Mabhunu finished in second place at 30mins 32secs. Phathisa Ngwabi who completed in 31mins while Isaac Mpofu was at fourth position in 31mins 13secs.
The winners of the men’s and women’s categories walked away with R5 000, R3 000, R1 500 and R500 respectively.
Confusion reigned supreme in the junior boys’ category with the organisers awarding the wrong athletes the prize money and certificates. Winner Wellington Varevi who clocked 31mins 05secs was not affected as he received his prize of R1 500.
However, there was confusion on the second and third place with eventual runners-up Tendai Zimuto who finished in a time of 32mins 01secs and Daniel Ncube who finished in 32mins 16secs receiving the R1 000 and R750 in second and third respectively.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
Initially the organisers had announced that Wellington Sakala who finished the race in 31mins 55secs and Prince Ncube who was home in 33mins 42secs as winners. It was later discovered that Zimuto and Ncube who are juniors, had also been entered in the senior men’s category.
Sakala’s time which seemed better than Zimuto’s was, however, not recorded correctly although officials could not confirm his official time.
Rosetta Mandebvu was first in 37mins 41secs to win the junior girls’ section with Faith Moyo clocking 37mins 50secs in second place and Rosemary Moyo following closely in 37mins 54secs.
They received the same prize monies as the junior men and the wheelchair men and women.
Samson Muroyiwa bagged the wheelchair men’s category in 30mins 47secs, Elford Moyo being second in 31mins 56secs while Munyaradzi Katiyo was third in 34mins 18secs.
In the women’s category, Thandiwe Ndlovu triumphed in 41mins 11secs with Margaret Bangajena coming second in 48mins 27secs and Madeline Madzivire’s 54mins 28secs earned her third position.
