LONG and middle distance athletes have called on the corporate world to increase sponsorship for athletics events as many have resorted to earning a living through the sport.
BY THANDIWE MOYO
This comes off the background that some sponsors have been viewing athletics events as recreational.
Recently long and middle distance athletes converged in Victoria Falls where they took part in the Victoria Falls Marathon which also included a 21,1km half marathon and fun run.
Nkosiyazi Sibanda won the title for the fourth time clocking 2 hours 19 minutes 12 seconds with Millen Matende coming in second in a time of 2 hours 19 minutes 59 seconds and in third place was Portipher Dombojena in 2 hours 20 minutes 37 seconds.
In the women’s category veteran athlete Thabita Tsatsa emerged the winner in a time of 2 hours 50 minutes with Tanzanian Sharon Mueni second in 2 hours 54 minutes and Lizzy Chokore in third place in 3 hours 01 minutes 07 seconds. Chokore beat her sister Chiedza who finished the race in fourth place in 3 hours 9 minutes 44 seconds.
The winner of the full marathon received $900, second placed athlete$750, $600 for third, $450 for fourth, $300 for the fifth athlete, $200, $150, $100, $75 and $50 for sixth up to the 10th athlete while winner of the half marathon received $500 with the second placed runner getting $350, $300 for third, $250 for fourth, $150 for finishing fifth, $125 for number six, $100 for seventh, $75, $50 and $25 for eight to 10.
However, athletes were not happy about the incentives on offer. Tsatsa said incentives should be put in place for young athletes to take up long distance races as the uptake of the sport was going down.
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“A few young athletes are taking up the sport because there are no incentives for them. I coach young athletes but the numbers are deteriorating because there are no incentives for these young athletes,” she said.
Tsatsa called on the increase in sponsorship saying the sponsorship was too little to entice the athletes.
“Our aim is to develop the sport but if organisation give athletes $25 for 21km it does not make sense. They should look at the amount that is put into preparing for such events,” she said. Veteran athlete Samukeliso Moyo weighed in saying the amount that was put in was not fair to athletes as it is not enough to cover costs. Athletes at the Victoria Falls Marathon were given as little as $25 for the athlete who finished 10th in the 21 km while the athlete in the same position got $50.
“Athletics is not only for recreation for us but it is a job. It’s not enough for an athlete to get $25 for running 21km. how much would they have spent in terms of preparation. We hope sponsors could look into that,” she said.
Moyo said the best way is for the sponsors to consult the athletes as well as the athletics associations so that they agree on the breakdown of prizes.
She said some of the athletes are unemployed and they take up the sport for a living.
“We are not saying the prize money should be earth shattering. All we want is for the amount to cushion us as athletes. Some of us are unemployed and athletics has become our job. There is no money for veterans, masters and grand masters and what they are saying is that we should retire because we cannot compete against the young athletes,” she said
