mbulelo smpofu
Innocent Kurira, innocent.kurira@chronicle.co.zw
STAR wheelchair athlete Stella Jongwe is gearing up to compete in the Liquor Hub Fun Run in Bulawayo, scheduled to take place on Sunday.
Jongwe (21) has an impressive track record, having won gold at the 2020 Outeniqua Chair Challenge in South Africa and the previous edition of the Liquor Hub Fun Run.
She is a talented athlete having also clinched a bronze medal at the 2019 African para-badminton championships in Uganda.
“It’s been a year of mixed emotions as I had problems with my wheelchair at the start of the year and struggled to win races. However, I now have a new wheelchair, which I am still trying to get used to. This might be a disadvantage, but I am going into this event with my sights on victory,” said Jongwe.
“I am feeling confident and prepared for the competition. My training has been going well, and I am excited to test my skills against other top athletes.”
Asked about her expectations for the event, Jongwe said: “I am hoping to win, of course! But I also want to use this opportunity to inspire others and show that, with hard work and determination, anything is possible.”
The ninth edition of the Liquor Hub 10km Fun Run Charity Race promises to be an exciting event, with lucrative prize money on offer.
The men’s and women’s winners will each receive R3 500, while the top three finishers in the junior men’s and women’s categories will receive R1 250, R800 and R600, respectively.
The top two finishers in the male and female wheelchair sections will receive R1,500 and R1,000, respectively.
Registration is pegged at $5 for seniors and $3 for juniors.
The event, sponsored by Liquor Hub Wholesale Centre, will follow the traditional route, starting and ending at the Liquor Hub Wholesale Sale shop. Proceeds from the race will benefit the elderly in the City of Kings, courtesy of Liquor Hub Wholesale proprietor and Deputy Minister of industry and Commerce, Raj Modi.
Bulawayo Athletics Board (Bab) chairperson, Watson Madanyika is happy with the preparations and looks forward to a great morning of road running.
“We are more than ready for this event. Preparations are sailing smoothly and we are confident the event will be a huge success,” said Madanyika. — @innocentskizoe
