By Brenda Mazhambe
The Munhumutapa Half Marathon held at Mvurwi High School on Saturday has set the pace for President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s 84th birthday celebrations, bringing together nearly 1,000 athletes for a day of sport, health and community mobilisation ahead of the main celebrations on Tuesday, September 15.
The marathon attracted about 980 participants against an initial target of 750, with athletes competing in the 3km, 5km, 10km and 21km categories.
The event also placed a strong emphasis on inclusivity, with wheelchair athletes taking part in the 10km and 21km races.
Organised under the leadership of National Champion for Marathons for Economic Development, Dr Takudzwa Zvobwo, the programme went beyond athletics to incorporate first-aid training and a medical outreach aimed at promoting community health and emergency preparedness.
Dr Zvobwo said the overwhelming turnout demonstrated the community’s enthusiasm for the initiative.
“We had around 980 participants against our budgeted 750, so we have had a very overwhelming response from the community. We are very grateful,” he said.
He said the participation of wheelchair athletes reflected the organisers’ commitment to ensuring that persons with disabilities are included in national programmes.
“We also have wheelchair runners who participated in the 10 and 21 kilometres, as our President says, leaving no one and no place behind,” said Dr Zvobwo.
The first-aid training and medical outreach were conducted by Discovery Ambulance Services, adding a health and emergency-response component to the sporting event.
The initiative also received support from corporate partners, including Doves, NetOne and TelOne, alongside Discovery Ambulance Services and other supporting partners.
Dr Zvobwo said the marathon was deliberately held as a precursor to the main national birthday celebrations scheduled for Mashonaland Central on September 15.
“Our event is a precursor to the national celebrations, which will be held again here in Mashonaland Central on the 15th of September. We would like to say happy birthday to our President. We wish him many more years to come,” he said.
He also likened the marathon to the country’s development journey under President Mnangagwa, saying sustained effort was required to achieve the country’s long-term development aspirations.
“We are very much happy with his leadership which is like a marathon. It is not one-day leadership. He started as President from 2017, taking us to Vision 2030, so we are running in solidarity with this leadership and with that of the Second Republic,” he said.
The event brought together athletes, health practitioners, community members, corporate partners and officials, with senior Government and party representatives expected to participate in the broader birthday programme.
The inclusion of wheelchair athletes, coupled with the medical outreach and first-aid training, gave the marathon a broader social dimension, highlighting the role of sport as a platform for promoting health, inclusion and community engagement.
Organisers said the programme was also aimed at encouraging healthy lifestyles, strengthening community participation and promoting solidarity with the country’s development agenda.
With the main birthday celebrations set for Tuesday, September 15, the Munhumutapa Half Marathon served as both a celebration and a build-up to the national commemorative programme in Mashonaland Central.
