Zimpapers Logo

Descent Dube, Sports Reporter
HIGHLANDERS Athletics Club will host its inaugural marathon and wheelchair race competition on September 1 at Highlanders Club House.

The race will take place along Old Falls Road starting and finishing at Highlanders Club House.

The competition seeks to raise funds for the Cancer Association of Zimbabwe and Highlanders Football Club with part of the money channelled to the sustainability of the organisation.

Highlanders Athletics Club interim chairperson and facilitator as well as club legend Lawrence ‘Lofty’ Phiri said the competition is a new initiative meant to develop the community.

“Our target is 500 athletes and we are going to divide the raised money into three in order to assist our selected two stakeholders then the rest will sustain the organisation. The third which we wish to donate to the Cancer Association of Zimbabwe will help in programmes meant to fight cancer,” said Phiri.

Registered participants will take part in any of the races with distances of five, 10 and 21km. To register, individuals are supposed to pay $5 at Highlanders Club House or at Walk Alone Sports Shop.

“Highlanders has ventured into volleyball, basketball, rugby and netball. It was a matter of time before introducing athletics as part of the sport under this big family. Our organisation has been registered with the Bulawayo Athletics Board and the event is on the national calendar since it was sanctioned by the Sports and Recreation Commission,” said Phiri.

He said the organisation has been successful in its preparations due to the assistance from members in South Africa and companies like Tanganda who have shown interest in the competition.

“The organisation is still open for sponsorship and we are appealing to well-wishers to come on board and make this a success,” Phiri said. — @DecoDecent2