adminFungai Muderere
A TOTAL of 17 athletes are set to fight it out for this year’s top gong in the ZIMBABWE International Trade Fair (ZITF) Coca-Cola Four-Minute Mile Challenge set to take place on Saturday.
Defending champion Wellington Varevi is among those who have qualified for the final.
In the Independence Day qualifier held at White City Stadium, Thabo Mapfumo from McLee Club in Harare and Denford Mlilo from Zimparks booked their final berths.
Mapfumo crossed the finish line in four minutes 28 seconds while Mlilo did so in four minutes 29 seconds.
It was sad for Takudzwa Chidziva who made it in four minutes, 31,45 seconds. The qualifying time is 4 minutes 31 seconds or less.
Other athletes who qualified include Munyaradzi Zizhou and Mthokozisi Mhlanga both from Blanket Mine who were the first to qualify.
The athletes that qualified in Harare are Nyasha Mutsetse, Levison Mapfuwa, Nomore Wiriki, Trust Hove and Godwin Katakura. The Black Rhinos duo of Munashe Mundure and Bornface Jeki will also seek glory at the ZITF Main Arena.
Isaac Mpofu and Blessmore Chidziva qualified on Monday.
Mpofu managed a time of four minutes 23,58 seconds while Chidziva clocked four minutes 24,72 seconds
Bulawayo Athletics Board (Bab) chairman Watson Madanyika said:
“We always expected a good field of athletes as we wrapped up the qualifiers. We only have semi-finals if we have more than 20 athletes qualifying,” said Madanyika.
The race is sponsored by Coca-Cola and its bottling partners in Zimbabwe, Delta Beverages.
The winner of this year’s race will walk away $800 000 richer.
Second and third-place finishers will receive $400 000 and $350 000 respectively.
There will also be cash prizes for those that will finish inside the top 10. For athletes to qualify for the final, they had to finish the qualifier in a time of four minutes 31 seconds.
mbulelo smpofu
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