The Sunday News
Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
BULAWAYO athlete, Isaac Mpofu was on Friday the toast of the Zimbabwe team at the All-Africa Games, which ended yesterday, when he won bronze after finishing third in the 21km.
His athletics board boss is over the moon following a first athletics medal from a city athlete in over a decade.
Bulawayo Athletics Board (Bab) chairman, Watson Madanyika said that the recent achievement by Mpofu at the African Games in Ghana are a testament to the province’s talent and successful development efforts.
Mpofu added another medal when he finished third in the men’s Half Marathon race in Accra, Ghana.
He crossed the finishing line on third position in a time of one hour five minutes 58 seconds, to bag a bronze medal.
“We are pleased with his performance as a province. It shows that the sport is on the rise in terms of long distance running, not only in the province but country at large.
“This can only be motivation to young and emerging athletes, who should feel challenged to try and emulate Mpofu’s achievements. We really applaud what he did, which is flying the country’s flag high,” said Madanyika.
He said Mpofu’s achievement serves as a validation of the province’s relentless efforts in producing top-tier athletes.
In the women’s section, Rutendo Nyahora settled for position 11 in one hour 20minutes 52 seconds.
Mpofu’s medal was the second bronze from athletics, after Ashley Kamangirira claimed bronze on Wednesday in the women’s 100m hurdles.
Kamangirira also set a new national record on her way to winning the bronze medal when completing the race in 13.59 seconds.
Mpofu became the first Zimbabwean to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in December last year.
He qualified with the time he ran at the 2022 Valencia Marathon, where he finished a credible 12th, with a time of two hours six minutes 48 seconds.
Paris is set to welcome another summer of sport with the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The City of Light will play host to the best of the world’s athletes from July 26 to 11 August, in the biggest sporting event ever held in France.
@innocentskizoe
