Published by the government of Zimbabwe
Collin Matiza
6 May 2008
Harare — ZIMBABWEAN middle and long-distance runners once again proved that the country was still a major force in road running in the Southern African Region when they scooped most of the top prizes at Sunday's Nedbank Johannesburg City Marathon in South Africa.
A host of Zimbabwean female and male road runners took part in this year's Nedbank Joburg City Marathon which included a 10km race for both men and women.
And the Zimbabwean runners were in dominant form, with not less than five athletes finishing in the Top 10 in both the main 42,2km event and the 10km race on Sunday.
The star of the show for the Zimbabwean runners was Samukeliso Moyo who did the nation proud by winning the main women's marathon in 2 hours 46 minutes 35 seconds.
Moyo received a cheque for 60 000 Rand for her remarkable achievement.
Moyo's compatriot Margaret Mahohoma also did well to finish fifth in the women's marathon in 3hrs 01min 39sec.
She won 8 000 Rand.
Also carrying the country's flag high at Sunday's event in Johannesburg was young Sharon Tavengwa who took the gold medal in the shorter women's 10km race, romping home first in 36 minutes 29 seconds.
She collected 5 000 Rand.
Tavengwa (24), who runs under South African athletics club Mr Price, was followed home by Olympic Games-bound Tabitha Tsatsa who settled for second place in 37min 06 seconds and received 4 000 Rand.
Third place went to South Africa's Maleboheng Mafata who came home in 37 minutes 12 seconds.
Tsatsa (35) was using Sunday's race to "sharpen up" for the Olympic Games in Beijing, China, in August where she will be Zimbabwe's sole representative in the women's marathon.
And she did well to finish second behind Tavengwa in the women's 10km race, which saw six Zimbabweans finishing in the Top 10 on Sunday.
Apart from Tavengwa and Tsatsa, four other top Zimbabwean female middle and long-distance runners --Varaidzo Shindi, Olivia Chitate, Muchaneta Gwata and Chiyedza Chokore -- were also placed in the Top 10 in Sunday's 10km race.
Shindi came fifth in 37min 31sec while Chitate (37min 39sec), Gwata (38min 13 sec) and Chokore (38min 54sec) took seventh, eighth and 10th places.
The men's 10km race saw another Zimbabwean runner Wirimai Juwawo settling for seventh place in 31min 25sec.
Joshua Sabau, who clocked 30min 58sec, won the men's 10km race ahead of fellow South Africans Kgosi Tsosane (31min 01sec) and Stephen Mokoka (31min 08sec).
Veteran Zimbabwean long-distance runner Maxwell Bangani took part in the same men's 10km race on Sunday and came third in the 40-plus age-group category in 35min 55sec.
Bangani (43) was forced to settle for third place by South Africa's Simon Ramashapa who won the 40-plus age-group race in 34min 29sec while his fellow countryman Tidimalo Modiga came second in 34min 51sec.
Another top Zimbabwean runner Kudakwashe Shoko came sixth in the main men's marathon in 2hrs 21min 28sec while his fellow countryman Gilbert Mutandiro took 10th place in 2hrs 27min 21sec.
Veteran Zimbabwean long-distance runner Morgan Sithole came third in the 40-plus age-group race in 2hrs 38min 43sec.
And on a good day for Zimbabwean runners on Sunday, Themba Phulu grabbed the top honours in the men's 50-plus age-group which he won in 2hrs 45min 54sec.
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