The ManicaPost
Ray Bande Senior Sports Reporter
MOST of the country’s leading long distance runners are expected to descend on Mutare when one of the country’s prestigious long distance races – the Tanganda Tea Half Marathon – gets underway on Sunday at Mutare Sports Club.
The annual competition is bankrolled by the largest producer, packer and distributor of tea products in Zimbabwe – Tanganda Tea Company.
The Tanganda Tea half marathon used to attract top local athletes such as Abel Chimukoko and Elijah Mutandiro before taking a sabbatical in 2004, returned on the local radar in 2012.
Even upon its return in 2012, the Tanganda Tea Half Marathon continued to attract the finest among the local athletes but somehow no foreigners had been part of the competition.
Although it is not yet confirmed, the race is expected to see some Kenyans, Zambians as well as Mozambicans battling for top honours against a host of top local athletes this year.
Manicaland Athletics Board (MAB) executive board member Braid Nhubu said Kenyans made enquiries and expressed interest in registering for the event.
He said expectations are high that other foreigners that include Mozambicans, Kenyans and Zambians will be part of the competition this year.
“We received enquiries from the Kenyans and expectations are high that they will be part of the Tanganda Tea Half Marathon this year. The registration process is on and we will notify of the ones that would registered as and when they do so.
“Apart from the Kenyans we are also expecting Mozambicans and Zambians. It is worth noting that this is the first time that the Tanganda Tea Half Marathon has attracted international athletes,” Nhubu recently told Post Sport.
Upon its return back in 2012, battle hardened Wirimayi Zhuwawo clocked an impressive one hour two minutes, 42 seconds to win the men’s 21km main event.
The Shabanie Mine athlete, Zhuwawo, who came in as the defending champion in 2013 failed to beat the record he set the previous year as he clocked one hour seven minutes 43 seconds and positioned himself seventh way behind the then unheralded Jonathan Chinyoka who won the 21km men’s main event when he crossed the line in one hour six minutes, 51 seconds.
21km ladies race was won by Rutendo Nyahora of Harare after she romped home in one hour 18 minutes, 70 seconds.
Last year, Olympian Zhuwawo’s one hour, two minute and 42 seconds record in the 2012 21km Tanganda half marathon remained intact after Mutare independent long distance runner Micheck Sithole took one hour five minutes to be the first to hit the finishing line and land the first prize of the 2017 edition of the prestigious race.
Impressive Rudo Mhondera managed to break Nyahora’s one hour, 18 minutes record set in 2016 in the women’s category after the Marondera athlete finished last year’s competition in one hour 11 minutes in the women’s category.
