ZIMBABWE’S richest athletics road race, the Old Mutual Westgate Half-Marathon, received a major boost after the integrated financial services group upped the stakes for the third edition of the event after unveiling a $150 000 sponsorship package on Tuesday evening.
DANIEL NHAKANISO
The Old Mutual Westgate half-marathon to be held on Sunday at Westgate Shopping Mall, has rich pickings of $30 000 set aside for prizes for various categories while overall winners in the men and women’s categories walking away with $3 000 each.
Speaking during the launch held at Chapman Golf Club, Old Mutual Zimbabwe’s general manager property Grace Mukahanana said they were proud to be associated with the country’s richest marathon race.
“We delighted to come back to sponsor the Old Mutual Westgate half-marathon which has now become an annual event and we are proud to say that it is the richest athletics event in the country,” Mukahanana said.
“We would want to appreciate the athletes who come in their numbers as well as the social runners because at Old Mutual we believe that we have a responsibility to the communities in which we operate and that’s why we came up with this initiative of the Old Mutual Westgate half-marathon,” she said.
Due to the high stakes on offer one of the organisers of the competition Sebastien Garikai said a large field of 1500 to 2000 elite and social runners is expected on Sunday.
“We are looking at around 1500 participants for this year but should the numbers increase we are ready to enter up to 2000 runners. Obviously due to the attractive prize moneys on offer we also expected some of our top runners in the country to take part, the likes of Kelvin Pangiso, Wirimayi Juwawo, Constance Nyasango and Rutendo Nyahora,” said Garikai.
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“In terms of the international runners, there were three Kenyans who have inquired, but we are not sure if they will officially enter the race, but our doors are always open to international runners,” he said.
Pangiso won last year’s edition of the prestigious race after romping home ahead of Olympian Wirimayi Juwawo with Constance Nyasango claiming the women’s title ahead of the 2012 champion, the South Africa-based Rutendo Nyahora.
