The Sunday News
Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent
OVER 400 athletes have registered for the PPC Matopos 33 Miler Ultra-Marathon with a late surge expected on Thursday and Friday when a registration point opens at Bulawayo Athletic Club for the race scheduled for Saturday.
Bulawayo Athletic Board chairman, Manuel Mpofu said just over 400 runners have submitted their applications so far, a sign of the huge number of entries that are going to be made this year. He said marathons usually attract huge entries two days prior the event and such a huge figure a week before the race indicates a huge turnout.
“I think online registration has played a role in the increased early registration but I believe we are going to see more athletes coming to register on Thursday and Friday at BAC where we will set up registration points for the two days. Uptake of forms is high and we are likely to see more submissions as the race nears. There will be another registration point tomorrow at Nust where we are hosting a BAB Track and Field event,” he said.
Close to 2 000 runners are expected to grace the marathon whose theme this year is “Run Your Race”. The ultra-marathon incorporates four events, 53km marathon, 21km half marathon, 10km and 5km fun races.
For the first time in the history of the marathon, the 53km and 21km athletes will be electronically timed as the race partnered timing giants, ChampionChip Africa, the largest marathon electronic timing company in Africa, which runs South Africa’s Comrades and Two Oceans Marathons electronic timing.
The use of electronic timing is an important step towards elevating the race to world class status through provision of accurate data to athletes. PPC Zimbabwe have maintained last year’s prizes, with winners of both categories (men and women) for the main race each getting $1 000 and $750 for the runners-up, while the veterans, masters and grandmasters’ winners will receive $400 each for the ultra marathon.
For the half marathon, winners in the men’s and women’s sections will receive $500 each, with the wheelchair category prizes pegged at $400 for the winners in each section.
Last year, Mutare-based athlete, Lyno Muchena won the race ahead of second-placed Andrew Chimbidzikai of Black Rhinos and 2016 winner Peter Tumbare of the Airforce of Zimbabwe. The women’s race was won by Lizzy Chokore, with veteran runner Samukeliso Moyo coming second while Monica Kativhu, the 2016 champion was in third place.
Misheck Sithole won the men’s 21km race, Canisious Nyatsamba was second and Jacob Mugomeri third.
In the women’s section, Chiedza Chokore was the winner, Bertha Chikanga took second spot and the seasoned Thabitha Tsatsa finished third.
The PPC Matopos 33-Miler Ultra-Marathon was re-introduced seven years ago after a long sabbatical and has been used as a preparatory race for the Comrades Marathon and other international events.
The course has been measured and certified by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and this has raised the status of the marathon to being a qualifying event for international races, including the Comrades.
