400 take part in Liquor Hub marathon

Fungai Muderere

OVER 400 athletes are expected to take part in this year’s edition of the Liquor Hub marathon, an event that will once again bring down the curtain for Bulawayo Athletic Board’s (Bab) yearly programmes.

The race that is slated for Sunday is sponsored by Liquor Hub owner Raj Modi, who is also the Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce and MP for Bulawayo South.

After the marathon meet, there will be an awards ceremony to honour the best performing athletes and administrators of the year.

Bab chairperson, Manuel Mpofu said: “Registration is still in progress and the response has been very encouraging. Registration fees are pegged at $50 for seniors and $30 for juniors. We are looking forward to have between 400 and 500 participants. Registration, which is done at the Wholesale Centre Groceries and Liquor Hub will close on Saturday. Prizes of the race are pegged on foreign currency and as such we are expecting a good show from the athletes.”

Last year, 300 athletes took part in the race and in this year’s edition winners of both the men and women’s races are set to walk away with R5 000, while second-placed athletes will get R3 000 and those coming third will get R2 000.

In the juniors’ category the winners will get R1 500, R1 000 for second prize and R500 for third place. In the wheelchair section the first prize is pegged at R2 000 and those coming in second get R1 500.

There are also prizes for the youngest male and female athletes, with R200 to be given to the first young athlete to cross the finish line and R150 for the second.

In the previous edition, Chitungwiza-based runner Canisious Nyamutsita set a record of 29 minutes 34,48 seconds in the fourth edition of the Liquor Hub 10km Fun Run.

Nyamutsita broke the record of 30 minutes 36,40 seconds set by Kevin Pangiso in 2015 to take home winners’ prize money of R5 000.

Tendai Zimuto won the 2016 race in 30 minutes 52,65 seconds, while Jacob Mugomeri clocked 30 minutes 36,56 seconds to take the 2017 edition.

Nyamutsita of Pace Athletics Club and Moses Tarakinyu from the Zimbabwe National Army sponsored Black Rhinos Athletics Club defied the scorching heat to complete the race in under 30 minutes.

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