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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter

ORGANISERS of the annual Econet Victoria Falls Marathon have announced that the event will be held virtually on December 13.

In a statement yesterday, the organisers said they would be bringing an exciting but different event this year.

In a virtual marathon, athletes register and pay the requisite amount for their preferred distance then run on the set date along their own chosen route within a specified time.

The athletes record the finishing time and upload it on the race website and get certificates of participation which they can print out.

A virtual marathon can be held in any location one chooses and organisers of most events on the continent have gone virtual, therefore attracting larger audiences from all over the world.

This is good news for athletes that have been craving for competition as they no longer miss races because they’re no longer restricted by geographical location.

“Keep your training going, and keep Sunday 13 December available as we are bringing to you an exciting virtual event. We will be ‘taking you to Vic Falls’ to run the Marathon, Half Marathon, 10.5 km Relay, or 7.5 km fun run.

“We are working with one of the most sophisticated, inter-active, virtual timing systems in the world which offers ‘real-time’ accurate race results and tracking of your route, whichever distance you choose, including the Fun Run,” read the organisers’ statement.

The event will have an interactive ‘live’ tracking and distances will be timed with results provided. Prizes and giveaways are still being negotiated with the sponsors.

“You can challenge your friends, family and running clubs. The race can be run any time between 00h00 – 23h59 on the 13th of December, from anywhere in the world.”

The competition that draws international participants traditionally takes place in the first week of July, but it was pushed back to December 13 due to outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

– @ZililoR