The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda Senior Sports Reporter
DESPITE uninspiring form that saw him being one of the last athletes to make it to the finals, Zimbabwe Republic Police runner Elijah Mabhunu was yesterday crowned the winner of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair Coca-Cola Four Minute Mile Challenge when he came first out of a field of 20 athletes at the ZITF main arena.
Mabhunu won the race in four minutes 14,77 seconds. He was among the leading pack from the start in the company of fellow hopefuls Tawanda Matunhu and Wellington Varevi.
However, the 25-year-old Mabhunu had the last laugh when he beat Varevi to the finish line with a few metres left. Matunhu fizzled out as the race wore on and did not even make the top 10 at the end.
Varevi of Harare Athletics Club, a 2014 winner finished in second place in a time of four minutes 15,21 seconds while Levison Mafuva of Black Rhinos was third in four minutes 15,63 seconds.
Mabhunu pocketed $800, a floating shield as well as a gold medal, Varevi went away with $400 accompanied by a miniature trophy as well as a silver medal while Mafuva took home $350 which came with a small trophy and a bronze medal.
Fourth place with a cash reward of $300 went to last year’s champion Trust Chidomaya, Nyasha Mutsetse got $250 for settling for fifth place. Seventh spot went to Jacob Mugomeri who pocketed $125, $100 went to Simbarashe Chigadaga for ending in eighth place, and Tendai Zimuto was ninth for him to take home $75 while Blessed Chidziwa was rewarded with $50 after settling for 10th spot.
Mabhunu, the runner-up in 2014, acknowledged that the build up to the race was not ideal as he was one of the last athletes to book his place due to work commitments.
“I have always wanted to win this race but I didn’t think I was going to win this year because my preparations were not that good, I only qualified last week because of work commitments,’’ said Mabhunu.
The athletes were presented with their prizes by Delta Beverages national sales executive Tichaona Chipangura as well as Coca-Cola marketing activation manager Vee Chibanda.
Delta Beverages sales and marketing executive Rold Baloyi said they will continue to bankroll the race and was hopeful that an athlete will run the four minute mile under four minutes in the near future. That feat was last achieved by United States domiciled Gray Mavhera who won the race in three minutes 58 seconds in 1995.
Race coordinator Dailes Bingadadi said the competition has put Bulawayo on the map with the qualifiers starting as early as January.
A total of 39 athletes from all parts of the country qualified for the race whose semifinals were held at White City Stadium on Friday where the number was trimmed down to the best 20.
