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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter

THIS year’s third edition of the Binga Kasambabezi Marathon will be held to help mitigate human, animal conflict since Binga is basically a wildlife district.

The event will be held on Saturday and more than 40 runners are expected to take part in the full marathon, while numbers for the 21km and 5km fun run were not availed. 

“Our theme for this year is ‘Mitigating human, animal conflict through sporting-run to save your inheritance’. 

Binga is basically a wildlife area and chances of such a conflict between humans and animals are very high,” said the organising committee’s publicity officer Jonathan Mashava.

The event will also be used to select runners for the internationally recognised Econet Victoria Falls Marathon that will be held on July 7.

“Registration is still ongoing and everyone is excited about the event which also helps to market Binga to the rest of the world,” said Mashava.

Registration fees have been set at $2 for those that are 15 years and under, $3 for those between 15 and 18 years,  while local adults will pay $5 and non-locals $10.

The marathon was won by Zimbabwe National Army HQ1 Brigade (Mzilikazi) runner Leonard Koki last year after he crossed the finishing line in two hours 50 minutes followed by Brightmore Mbombo of Binga, who clocked three hours 44 minutes and 56 seconds.

For his sweat, Koki walked away with a Kwese TV decoder, T-shirt, gold medal, certificate and cash prizes courtesy of principal sponsor Agribank and Total Service Station.

In the women’s marathon, only two contestants, Thulani Ngwenya and Mapenzi Munkwombwe, took part. Ngwenya took the prize in four hours 28 minutes and six seconds, while Munkwombwe managed 4:31:05.

Hwange Athletics Club’s Phatisa Ngwabi beat 12 other contestants to win the men’s 21km race, while Immaculate Muchimba was tops in the women’s run.

Abiton Mwembe from Binga clinched the 10km race, with Costa Muleya and Agnes Mudimba winning the men’s and women’s 5km run respectively.

Donald Tshuma (65) won the special recognition award after completing the 21km run.

Albert Munsaka won the secondary schools’ boys’ 5km male race and Patience Muunga took the girls’ category.

In the 5km boys’ primary schools’ race, Brayen Mudimba took top prize, while Phiona Munkuli won the girls’ race.