National Army's Moses Tarakinyu successfully defended his Tanganda Tea Half Marathon after clocking one hour two minutes and three seconds.
Tarakinyu, however, could not breach the standing Tanganda Half Marathon 21km main event record of one hour and two minutes, set by Wirimayi Zhuwawu in 2012.
None of the participants in this year's event could get a prize for breaking the one hour one minute for the males, and one hour eight minutes for the ladies' category, times that had been set for a special prize by the sponsors of the event.
The tightly contested 2024 edition of the competition saw Blessing Waison giving Tarakinyu a good run for his money after completing the race only seven seconds behind, as he crossed the finishing line in one hour two minutes and 11 seconds, while Isaac Mpofu was third as he completed the race in one hour two minutes and 50 seconds.
Elijah Mabhunu was fourth after completing the race in one hour three minutes and 15 seconds.
In the ladies category, Pangiso was the winner after crossing the finishing line in one hour 26 minutes and 24 seconds, while Fortunate Chidziro settled for second position after finishing the competition in one hour 17 minutes and 39 seconds.
The Kenyan flavour at this year's Tanganda Half Marathon was felt in this 21km women's main event, where Daisy Kipsu-fuit came third after crossing the finishing line in one hour 17 minutes and 55 seconds.
In the men's wheelchair 21km race, Samson Muroyiwa came first after crossing the finishing line in one hour 15 minutes and 27 seconds, while Munyaradzi Katiyo came second after finishing the race in a time of one hour 22 minutes and 19 seconds.
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Elford Moyo came third in one hour 26 minutes and 17 seconds while Morlean William Ali, who completed the race in one hour 32 minutes and 29 seconds, was fourth. For the ladies' wheelchairs racers competition, Thandiwe Ndlovu was the winner after finishing the race in one hour 44 minutes and 50 seconds while Stella Jongwe, who completed the race in one hour 45 minutes and 50 seconds, came second. In his prize presentation speech, Tanganda Tea Company finance director Henry Nemaire pledged his company's support for the event in the future.
"We are excited to be associated with such a successful event as Tanganda Tea Company. We will continue partnering with the event for many more years to come, and we are also happy with the level of competition and discipline being showcased by the athletes year in and year out. As a business entity, we are proud to be playing our part in promoting wellness as well as nurturing talent for national sporting events," said Nemaire.
National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe president Tendai Tagara said:
"Tanganda Half Marathon has always been an important part of the NAAZ calendar, and that explains the presence of every who-is-who in the field of athletics in Zimbabwe. We hold this event in high esteem, and we are thankful to the financiers of the event for sparing resources for the successful staging of this annual event. As NAAZ, we will continue contributing our expertise for this event so that it re-mains a success as always."
