Wednesday, January 8, 2025

Zimbabwe: Tatenda Hove Wins Hab Cross Nation

Lengthy distance runner Tatenda Hove received his season off to an encouraging begin after rising the winner at Harare Athletic Board season opener cross-country yesterday at David Livingstone College.

He was the primary to cross the end line within the senior males, finishing the 8km race in 27 minutes 25.41 seconds. He had been out of competitors for a while attributable to an damage, and he dominated yesterday’s occasion from the onset.

It was a low-key occasion in comparison with final yr’s season opener, the place a number of prime athletes from the province participated. “The race was okay, however that was not the competitors I used to be anticipating. “I feel a lot of the athletes I used to be competing towards have simply graduated from junior to senior stage. So, they don’t actually have the expertise; it is like I used to be competing towards myself. “I feel I’ve to proceed working as a result of for the previous eight months I used to be out due to an damage. So, I’m simply beginning to construct up.

“This was necessary for me, simply to evaluate what I’ve been doing pre-season, and it is also a part of coaching,” stated Hove.

Tadiwanashe Kambazwi was second in 28 minutes 40.90 seconds, whereas Gerald Mudenda completed third in 28 minutes 50.13 seconds.

The senior girls’s occasion did not take off as there have been no individuals.

Brenda Njodzi was the one participant within the Underneath-20 girls’s 6 km, and she or he crossed the end line in 20 minutes 15.99 seconds whereas Tinashe Mafigo gained the boys’s class in 16 minutes 45.21 seconds.

“The race was okay, though I used to be racing alone. It was only a platform to evaluate myself. I’ve to push arduous in order that I meet the required time for the nationwide cross nation.

“I nonetheless have to work on endurance and velocity,” stated Njodzi. The Underneath-18 boys additionally participated within the 6 km occasion, and Abel Phiri was the winner with a time of 17 minutes 51.63 seconds.

The ladies competed in 4km and Progress Gutura gained the race in 14 minutes 10.12 seconds. The season opener additionally featured Underneath-16s, Underneath-14s, and Underneath-10s.

HAB vice chairperson Aaron Whyte admitted extra must be accomplished to enhance the numbers of feminine individuals at senior stage.