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Cloud Fusire Sports Reporter
IN a move aimed at encouraging local road runners to up their game, cash rewards will be offered to the winners of this year’s CBZ Peter Gradwell Marathon. The race will be held later this month at Old Georgians Sports Club in Harare.

According to the main sponsors of this road running event, winners will walk away with a combined total prize money of $27 800.

This will make it one of the richest athletics competitions in this country. The winners of both the men’s and women’s races will get the same prize money.

The marathon, which was initially scheduled for the second week of January this year, will now take place on March 17 at Old Georgians Sports Club.

More than 1 000 participants are expected to grace the event. CBZ Holdings marketing manager, Joel Gombera, confirmed that cash rewards were up for grabs at this event.

“The event is huge and important, especially to the seasoned athletes who are eyeing to qualify for this year’s Old Mutual Two Oceans and the Comrades Marathon in South Africa.

“We are targeting around 1 000 participants and so far we have already registered 400 participants and we believe that by the end of this week the event will be fully booked.

“The registration is centralised at Old Georgians Sports Club and we urge all those who are in other provinces to make arrangements to register in time to avoid any inconveniences.

“There will be a lot of prizes,” said Gombera. The male and female winners of the 42.2 km main event will each pocket $2 000 with the first runners-up getting $1 500 and the bronze medallists getting $750.

The main 42.2km event will be held simultaneously with a half-marathon where the winners will walk away with $1 000 with the first runners-up getting $750 and the bronze winners pocketing $500.

The marathon will, for the first time, include wheelchair athletes in all categories that will see the winner getting $1 000 and the first runners-up $750 and second runners-up $500 for both male and female competitors.