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Mzingaye Sibanda Sports Reporter
GIVEMORE Mudzinganyama was the latest athlete to qualify for the ZITF Coca-Cola Four-Minute Mile Challenge bringing to 25 those taking part in the event on Saturday.Mudzinganyama clocked four minutes 30.72 seconds during the last trial held at Gifford High School yesterday.

He was the only one out of 19 athletes who managed to beat the four minute 31 seconds bench mark to qualify for the finals.

South Africa-based Mudzinganyama recently won the Beachwood 10km race and finished third behind fellow Zimbabwean Elmore Sibanda in the Umzimkhulu Spar 21km race in Kwazulu Natal two weeks ago.

“I feel happy to qualify for the finals . . . it’s really tough because this event is a sprint. It was going to be a setback if I failed but I have been on the right track in South Africa especially after winning the Beachwood and finishing strongly in the KZN Marathon,” he said.
Mudzinganyama finished ninth in last year’s Coca-Cola Four-Minute Mile.

Bulawayo competitions director Watson Madenyika said this year’s competition is expected to be very competitive as the country’s top long distance athletes have all qualified.

“It is going to be a tense competition this time around because all the top athletes have qualified, so it will be an interesting event,” he said.

Defending champion Simbarashe Chikada of Black Rhinos will be itching to defend his title against a host of seasoned athletes.
Also man of the moment Elijah Mabhunu who recently won the PPC Matopos 21km race will be among those vying to dethrone Chikada. Phathisa Ngwabi, Mabhunu, Wirimai Juwawo, Isaac Mpofu, Bonface Jeki, Wellington Varevi, Trust Madoro and Nkosiyazi Sibanda are among the race favourites.

Black Rhinos Athletics Club has six athletes, followed by Unit Fairbridge and Blanket Mine with three apiece while three clubs, Shabanie, Sparrows and Zimbabwe Prison Services have two each. The other clubs, Rio Tinto, Harare Athletics Club, Hwange and ZRP have one athlete each in the final.

The sponsors, Delta Beverages, have maintained last year’s package that will see the winner taking home $800 while the second and third placed athletes will go home $500 and $400 richer respectively.

For finishing fourth an athlete will pocket $300 while the prizemoney for fifth place is $250.

The leading beverage manufacturing company has also set aside $200, $175, $150, $100 for the sixth to 10th placed athletes.
The top 10 athletes will also get medals with all participants getting T-shirts and Coca-Cola branded bags.

Below are the final 25 athletes:

Wirimai Juwawo (Shabanie Mine), George Majaji (Freda Rebecca Mine), Thando Maphosa, Simbarashe Taderera (all Sparrows), Isaac Mpofu, Trust Chidomaya, Trust Madoro (all ZRP Fairbridge), Bonface Jeki, Levison Mafura, Trust Hove, Simbarashe Chikadaga, Tatenda Hove, Charles Mkanda (all Black Rhinos) Dzingayi Dandara, Jonathan Chinyoka, Nomore Wiriki (all ZPS), Blessmore Chidziva (ZRP), Phathisa Ngwabi (Hwange), Tawanda Matunhu, Wellington Varevi, Nkosiyazi Sibanda (all Blanket Mine), Elijah Mabhunu (Harare Athletics Club), Irvin Rozi (Eiffel Flats), Kudakwashe Durban and Givemore Mudzinganyama (both Individuals)