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Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
RUTENDO Nyahora, winner of South Africa’s Old Mutual Soweto Marathon’s 10KM race will headline a list of Zimbabwe’s top athletes that will compete at the inaugural Liquor Hub 10KM Fun Run and 5KM Charity Walk on Sunday. Nyahora won the South African race at the beginning of the month and is part of the country’s elite who have confirmed their participation.

Manuel Mpofu, the Bulawayo Athletics Board (BAB) chairman said seven top athletes – Lewis Masunda, Nyahora, Olivia Chitate, Elijah Mabhunu, Isaac Mpofu, Ngonidzashe Ncube and Kelvin Pangiso – will add flavour to the Raj Modi sponsored event.

Mpofu said registration closes tomorrow evening at the Liquor Hub which is along Fife Street, between Fourth and Fifth Avenues. Registration fees have been set at $5 for seniors and $3 for the juniors.

“We’re very excited that we have a new race on our calendar and we are looking forward to a good field as well. Already, seven top athletes have confirmed that they are coming for the race and drawing big name-athletes is good for the race. The Liquor Hub 10KM Fun Run and 5KM Charity Walk might be our last event of the year and for that reason, we are expecting a big number especially from upcoming athletes,” Mpofu said.

Modi is bankrolling the Liquor Hub 10KM Fun Run and 5KM Charity Walk to a tune of $10,000. The top three in the senior men and women’s events will each get $500, $300 and $200. The junior men and women’s first prize is $150, with the runners-up getting $100 while third placed athletes walk away with $50.

Wheelchair racing winners of the men and women’s categories will get $200 while runners-up will be rewarded with $150. The race will start at the Liquor Hub and will see athletes run east along 4th Avenue past the Heath Streak Cricket Academy up to the Khumalo Hockey Stadium and back to town via Leopold Takawira Avenue and finish at Liquor Hub.

Liquor Hub is a wholesale centre owned by Modi and the philanthropist intends to have the race running every year. The Bulawayo businessman sponsored the Spar Nkulumane 10KM Fun Run for over a decade and last year Choppies took over the race.