Zimpapers Logo

Ellina Mhlanga, Harare Bureau
LOCAL athletes who had hoped to fight for honours with some of the best on the continent at the JM Busha elite marathon this year will have to wait a bit longer as the National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe have moved it to next year.

The race was initially scheduled for July 29.

But NAAZ first announced the postponement in June hoping to hold it before the end of the year, indicating that most of the top African athletes they were hoping to entice were already preparing for the World Championships in London last month.

The national association also indicated they would reconvene after the World Championships to come up with a date guided by the IAAF calendar and the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races.

On Sunday, NAAZ president Tendai Tagara said they have now decided to move the race to next year since there are major events such as the New York City marathon coming soon.

Tagara believes they will not make much impact if they have their race at the same time with such big races.

“We have already pencilled JM Busha events for 2018. This year we cannot have the race because our target is to bring elite athletes from the continent and the region.

“They are all committed already and the sponsor wants to bring in elite athletes. So we said let’s leave it because after the World Championships, we are now looking at the New York City marathon.

“Those are labelled marathons and we are just starting to host such an event, so we must start with an impact. We spoke to the sponsor to postpone to next year and the sponsor agreed. We are re-pencilling it for July next year,” said Tagara.

NAAZ partnered with JM Busha 54 Races early this year, with the latter coming on board to sponsor a number of activities including two major marathons this year.

And the one targeting local athletes only was held in May, in Harare.

JM Busha 54 Races chairperson Misheck Gondo said they had to consider the major competitions on the international calendar.

“Actually the postponement of the event, there is nothing we could do because there were also major events on the international calendar.

“So we had to move the elite marathon to allow regional athletes to participate because as you understand that this race is composed of athletes that are coming from the region not only Sadc but also other African countries like Kenya.

“We want to give them adequate opportunity to prepare to take part. So the postponement, it will allow everyone to take part,” Gondo said.