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Sports Reporter
DEFENDING ZITF Four-Minute Mile champion Trust Chidomaya qualified for the 2016 edition of the athletics meet during Saturday’s trials held at White City Stadium. Chidomaya, who won last year’s final in four minutes 16 seconds, secured a place for next month’s race in four minutes 25 seconds. His ZRP Fairbridge teammates John Payarira, Mutandwa, Amon Moyo, Knowledge Mavurunge and Dube Hubert failed to run the qualifying time of four minutes 31 seconds.

The defending champion joins eight other athletes, who include Ziscosteel’s Kelvin Gundani, Willard Mutasa of HQ One Brigade, the ZRP Fairbridge duo of Amon Moyo and Barberton Mhlanga, the Sparrows’ trio of Hlalani Ngwenya, Ntando Maphosa and Dumo Mkhwananzi as well as ZPCS’ Jonathan Chinyoka, that have qualified for the ZITF meet.

Dailes Bingadadi, the Bulawayo Athletics Board secretary-general, said they were left with six qualifying races before the final. She said the semi-finals of the competition will be held on April 29 at either Gifford High School or the ZITF main arena, with the final being run on the following day.

“We are left with about six qualifying races and we will be moving to other provinces holding qualifiers during their track and field events. We hope to get more athletes that will run under four minutes 31 seconds. However, qualifying doesn’t mean one goes straight to the final, they still have to run in the semi-finals, which will be held a day before the final. Last year we had 19 finalists and we hope to have a captivating final,” Bingadadi said.