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and is tipped to become one of Africa’s major sporting events.
The inaugural event is scheduled for July 17 in Harare and is expected to attract foreign athletes among the cream of the local runners.
The event is being organised by the X-HIBI-IT Events Management Company (Pvt) Ltd, a member of Marketers Association of Zimbabwe.
Some of the countries expected to participate include Zambia, Namibia, Swaziland, Angola, South Africa, Malawi, Tanzania, Lesotho, Ethiopia, Botswana, Mozambique, Kenya, DRC and Morocco.
The event will also involve the corporate challenge with participants taking part in a 5km race and the schools’ challenge focusing on introducing and encouraging young people to participate in the sport and participants in this category are also set to fight for honors in the 5km race.
The organisers have also come up with the uniformed forces’ challenge and participants in this category will take part in a 42km race.
X-HIBI-IT Events Management Company executive director, Rebecca Gambiza, said their aim was to promote local athletes and the development of athletics in Zimbabwe.
“We noticed that in Zimbabwe we have got so much talent in sport and we noticed that soccer has more preference.
“Everybody at some point did sport at school but there is no continuity after school.
“However, we want to take athletics as a profession. We are working with NAAZ (National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe) president, Joseph Mungwari to help us recruit athletes from Sadc and European countries.
“Our aim is to promote and develop athletes whilst reclaiming the glory of the city of Harare to its status as the Sunshine City,” said Gambiza.
Gambiza said there was need to honour outstanding athletes who represent the country in international events such as Stephen Muzhingi and they have appointed the two-time Comrades marathon winner as their ambassador for the forthcoming event.
“Muzhingi has done well in the Comrades marathon and he is recognised the world over but he is not being recognised locally and we have engaged him as our ambassador.
“We met with him and discussed with him about the marathon and with his achievement he is a role model to the upcoming athletes.
“He has won the Comrades marathon twice in South Africa raising the country’s flag high.
“He will be talking to other athletes from other countries about the Sunshine City Marathon since it is our first time to have this event in Zimbabwe,” said Gambiza.
The race is set to start at the National Sports Stadium, pass through the northern suburbs and finish at the giant stadium.