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Ricky Zililo Sports Reporter
THE Bulawayo Athletics Board will this afternoon take advantage of a packed White City Stadium — the venue for the 35th Independence celebrations — to market athletics by holding qualifiers for the ZITF Four-Minute Mile. The Delta Beverages sponsored competition traditionally takes place during the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair. This year’s ZITF exhibition runs from April 28 to May 2.

Manuel Mpofu, the Bab chairman said the qualifiers would be held after the Caps United-ZPC Kariba Independence Cup third place playoff.

He said they are expecting a big turnout for the competition whose qualifying time is four minutes 31 seconds.

“We feel that the Independence celebrations are a good catchment area for us to have more participants. All athletes who want to compete at the finals will have to go through qualifiers or else they will miss out. After this weekend, we will be left with just one qualifier so all those who dream of competing at the ZITF final can try their luck at White City Stadium,” said Mpofu.

Fifteen athletes have so far qualified for the finals.

The 2013 ZITF Four-Minute Mile champion Simbarashe Chigagada is among those who have booked their place in the final.

ZITF Four-Minute Mile qualified athletes
Simbarashe Taderera, Thando Maphosa, Abraham Ncube (all Sparrows), Tendai Zimuto (Kuwadzana High School), Bornface Keki, Trust Hove, Simbarashe Chigagada (all ZNA), Munyaradzi Jari (Airforce of Zimbabwe), Tawanda Matunhu (Blanket Mine), Nyasha Mutsetse (Prince Edwards High School), Phathisa Ngwabi (Hwange Colliery), Nomore Wiriki, Dzingai Dandara (ZPCS), George Majaji (Ziscosteel), Elijah Mabhunu (Independent).