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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
CHITUNGWIZA-based road runner Canisious Nyamutsita (27) set a record of 29 minutes 34.48 seconds in the fourth edition of the Liquor Hub 10km Fun Run held in Bulawayo yesterday.

Nyamutsita broke the record of 30 minutes 36.40 seconds set by Kevin Pangiso in 2015 to take home winners’ prize money of R5 000.

Tendai Zimuto won the 2016 race in 30 minutes 52.65 seconds, while Jacob Mugomeri clocked 30 minutes 36:56 seconds to take the 2017 edition.

Nyamutsita of Pace Athletics Club and Moses Tarakinyu from the Zimbabwe National Army sponsored Black Rhinos Athletics Club defied the scorching morning heat to complete the race in under 30 minutes.

“I’m very happy to have won this race. It was a tight race and I had to push myself to the finishing point. The pace was very fast, but I was fully prepared for it and gave my all,” said Nyamutsita.

Tarakinyu took home R3 000, with Munyaradzi Jari of ZRP pocketing R2 000 for coming third in 30 minutes 39.03 seconds.

ZPC’s Patience Garuziva beat junior athletes Tatenda Masiwa and Leosa Mandebvu to claim the R5 000 first prize in the women’s race in 36 minutes 19.15 seconds.

Masiwa, winner of the junior women’s category, completed the race in 37 minutes 51.09 seconds, while Mandebvu crossed the finishing line in 41 minutes 40.48 seconds.

Masiwa pocketed R4 500 made up of R3 000 for taking second place in the senior category and R1 500 for coming first in the juniors’ category. Mandebvu went home with R3 000, as the junior race’s first runner-up prize was R1 000.

Bulawayo Athletics Board (Bab) chairman, Manuel Mpofu, expressed gratitude to Liquor Hub proprietor Raj Modi, who is also the Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce and MP for Bulawayo South, for sponsoring the race.

“The athletes reaped good rewards from this race and we are thankful to Raj Modi for his continued sponsorship of the race. This was our final event of the year,” said Mpofu.

Races run under the Bab banner include the PPC Matopos 33-Miler and the Coca-Cola Four-Minute Mile, the Nkulumane half-marathon, POSB, NRZ Half-Marathon and Hope Fountain 30 km Road Race.

Results

Senior men:

1. Canisious Nyamutsita (29 minutes 34.48 seconds)

2. Moses Tarakinyu (29 minutes 36.44 seconds

3. Munyaradzi Jari (30 minutes 39.03 seconds)

Senior women:

1. Patience Garuziva (36 minutes 19.15 seconds)

2. Tatenda Masiwa (37 minutes 51.09 seconds)

3. Leosa Mandebvu (41 minutes 40.48 seconds)

Wheelchair men:

1. Elford Moyo (29 minutes 33.35 seconds)

2. Samson Muroyiwa (33 minutes 49.12 seconds)

Wheelchair women:

1. Thandiwe Ndlovu (42 minutes 27.20 seconds)

2. Margaret Pangajena (45 minutes 32.55 seconds)

Junior men:

1. Godwin Katakura (31 minutes 12.20 seconds)

2. Joseph Mashavakure (32 minutes 51.09 seconds)

3. Michael Chimuka (32 minutes 57.06 seconds)

Junior women:

1. Tatenda Masiwa (37 minutes 51.09 seconds)

2. Leosa Mandebvu (41 minutes 40.48 seconds)

3. Faith Nyathi (41 minutes 51.62 seconds).

— @ZililoR