By Tendai Chisiri
MUTARE – Mutare’s mountainous border with Mozambique will be a hive of activity this Sunday as the Tanganda Half Marathon returns for another edition, with 2,000 athletes set to take part, including runners from Kenya and Mozambique.
Speaking to News Sport Online, Tanganda’s Marketing Department’s Mrs Tsitsi Kumadiro said this year’s race will see strong international and corporate interest, with the 21km race fully subscribed weeks after registration opened.
A race with history
The Tanganda Half Marathon dates back to the early 1990s and was held annually in Mutare until 2002. Organisers took a break and revived the race in 2012, running it every year since. The event was not held in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Bigger field, more partners
Kumadiro said organisers are expecting 2,000 athletes this Sunday.
“We have athletes from Kenya and Mozambique coming on board,” she said.
The race has also grown commercially. “The race was fully subscribed a few weeks after opening compared to previous years. We had an increased number of corporate participants compared to previous years. Corporate partners have also increased and this is very encouraging,” Kumadiro added.
Eyes on the 21km title fight
All eyes will be on the men’s 21km race, with three-time winner Moses Tarakinyu expected to face stiff competition from Godwin Katakura and Blessing Waison.
Total prize money for the event stands at US$19,000, to be shared across the different race categories.
Last year’s champions
In 2024, Tarakinyu won the men’s half marathon in a time of 1:03:13, while Fortunate Chidzivo took the women’s title in 1:15:03.
All are welcome
Kumadiro wished all athletes the best ahead of Sunday’s race and urged supporters to turn out in numbers.
“Let’s all come and support,” she said.
News Sport Online 