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Takudzwa Chitsiga 

Sports Reporter

THE annual Exide Marathon will return at Old Georgians Sports Club this Sunday with veteran long-distance runner and defending champion in the women’s category Olivia Chitate confident that she will do well again.

The Exide Marathon whose registration started on May 7 will have 5km, 10km, 21km and 42km races with at least 500 athletes expected to take part. 

After partnering Striders in last year’s edition, Chloride Zimbabwe have this year joined hands with Harare Athletics Club in staging this event. 

The 34-year-old athlete Chitate said she has been training hard and believes this Sunday’s race will help her to prepare for an upcoming race in Gaborone, Botswana. 

“I am going to do my best and I have been training very hard, especially as we are having some races after the lockdown. We have been through a long break but I think everyone is now focused and ready for races. 

“I have been working under my club which has been very supportive and I think I will do them proud on Sunday. I know there is a lot of competition in the races but I will use my experience to be up there. 

“I am grateful that Exide has returned to sponsor the race which gives us something to cheer about.’’ 

Chitate, who has won races both national and internationally, managed to win the Exide Marathon at the same venue last year with Lyno Muchena winning the men’s event. 

The event’s organisers, Harare Athletics Club, formerly Rhodes Athletics Club, was founded in May 1949 by GH Pentland-Smith.

Initially the emphasis was on track and field events, but over the years the club has promoted long-distance running where training for the Comrades Marathon has been a major activity. 

The flagship run of the club is the 20 Miler (now sponsored by Europcar) which was started in December 1971. 

HAC moved to its present base, Old Georgians Sports Club, in 1987 where it still operates from up to today.