The Sunday News
ZIMBABWE Republic Police athlete Trust Chidomaya is the winner of this year’s edition of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair Coca-Cola Four-Minute Mile Challenge when he came first at the ZITF Main Arena yesterday.
Chidomaya clocked four minutes 16 seconds in a tightly contested race to walk away with $800 prize money ahead of 18 other athletes who had made it into the finals following Friday’s semi-finals.
The Fairbridge runner shaved off a second from last year’s winning time of four minutes 14 seconds achieved by Wellington Varevi, who was this year relegated to number nine.
Chidomaya said despite finishing second to last in the semi-finals he remained confident that he could still bag the first prize in the annual competition that is sponsored by Delta Beverages through their Coca-Cola brand.
Chidomaya shrugged off early challenge from other athletes in the early stages of the race, making it easy to win albeit in the last lap.
“The athletes crowded in front to be the early pacesetters but I decided not to rush it and stayed between four and five metres from the leading pack but I maintained my pace. It was only in the final lap that I began to come out and with about 150m left that is when I took a sprint and with only two athletes ahead of me I knew I could outpace them,” said an ecstastic Chidomaya.
Cephas Pasipamire of ZRP was second, clocking 4 minutes 16,71secs while Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services’ Jonathan Chinyoka emerged third in a time of 4min 17,90secs although he had managed to outsprint the other runners with about 300m left but fizzled out as the race wore on.
In fourth place was Fairbridge athlete Isaac Mpofu who clocked 4min 18,12secs while ZRP’s Elijah Mabhunu was fifth on 4min 18,64secs and ZPCS’s Nomore Wiriki got a sixth placing in 4min 19,23 secs.
Delta Beverages Southern Region sales executive Rold Baloyi expressed satisfaction with the race and pledged his company’s continued support for the race, which has, over the years, been one of the anticipated events at the ZITF.
Bulawayo Athletics Board secretary Dailes Bingadadi was happy with this year’s proceedings saying the close times recorded showed how competitive the race had become.
On the failure by the athletes to break the four minute barrier, Bingadadi said Mabhunu had the potential to go past the finish line within the set time but failed to time his sprint well.
There were monetary prizes for the top 10 athletes with the first runner-up getting $500 while the third placed athlete walked away $450 richer.
