|
|
Zimbabwe: Top Runners to Converge for Olympic Day Run
 |
 Published by the government of Zimbabwe |
|||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
||||||||||
The Herald (Harare)
24 July 2008
Posted to the web 24 July 2008
Collin Matiza
Harare
HUNDREDS of local top road runners and members of the general public are expected to converge at High Glen Shopping Centre at Budiriro in Harare on Sunday for the 21st edition of the annual Olympic Day Run.
Sunday's gathering, which is organised by the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee, is meant to promote the values of Olympism, one of which is upholding sport as a fundamental human right.
One of the event's organisers, Stanley Mutoya of ZOC, yesterday said the Olympic Day Run is predominantly an athletics event in which participants will take part in a 10km and 5km road race.
"The rationale for (staging) a road race is based on the fact that at least every human being can move from one point to another on their own limbs or equipment such as wheelchairs.
"This is a Sport for All event in which everyone within the community is invited to participate," Mutoya said.
Sunday's event is designed to celebrate the founding of the Olympic Movement as well as the promotion of health through active participation in sport.
The categories on the day include primary and secondary schools, both boys and girls, wheelchair athletes, male and female Veterans (male 40-49 years old and female 35-40 years old), male and female Masters (male 50-59 years old and female 46-66 years old), male Grandmaster (60 years and above) and female Grandperson (50 years and above).
There will also be competition for Open male and female athletes, Special Olympians and Paralympics.
Two special categories will also be on offer on Sunday and these are for the school with the highest number of participants and residents of Budiriro and nearby Glen View high-density suburb.
"We are inviting parents, children, top male and female athletes and everyone within the community and from every part of Zimbabwe to be part of the experience at High Glen Shopping Centre on Sunday morning.
"We are proud to join the whole world in setting aside a specific event that aims at promoting Sport for All.
"Our aim is to cultivate a culture of exercise within the people of Zimbabwe as healthy bodies make positive contribution to a nation's economy," Mutoya said.
The Police Band as well as drum majorettes will provide entertainment at Sunday morning's event.
"Other national sports associations have been invited to exhibit and reach out to the community during this event.
|
"To date, the Zimbabwe Wrestling Federation have confirmed their participation at the event and they will demonstrate their sport. We have also invited some members of Team Zimbabwe 2008 for next month's Olympic Games in Beijing, China, to grace the occasion. The public will have an opportunity to meet the team and bid them farewell before their departure for the Olympic Games next Wednesday," Mutoya said.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Copyright © 2008 The Herald. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections -- or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Make allAfrica.com your home page | RSS Feed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Top | Site Guide | Who We Are | Advertising | Search | Subscribe | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Questions or Comments? Contact us. Read our Privacy Statement. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
