Tag Archives: Mzuzu City half marathon

Sports

Mwanyali defends Mzuzu City Half Marathon championship

Maravi Post Reporter

By Phillip Pasula

MZUZU-(MaraviPost)-Chikondi Mwanyali of Civo Athletics Club successfully defended his title as champion of the men’s 21 Kilometre Mzuzu City Half Marathon on Sunday, March 10, 2024.

Mwanyali not only defended the title but also broke the record from 1 hour 8 minutes 43 seconds last year, to 1 hour 6 minutes and 47 seconds this year.

He therefore went away with MK2 million, of which MK1.5 million was for winning the title while MK500,000.00 was for breaking last year’s record.

Chancy Master from Kamuzu Barracks finished second and also broke last year’s winner’s record as he came to the finishing line after 1 hour 7 minutes and 14 seconds.

He went away with MK1.5 million. Gervazio Mpani, also of Civo Athletics Club finished third and got MK500,000.00.

In the ladies’ category, last year’s winner Nalise Chirwa of Forever Athletics Club in Mzuzu dropped to third, allowing Fostina Mbemba of Moyale Barracks to clinch the championship after running for 1 hour 25 minutes and 42 seconds.

She got MK1.5 million. Tereza Master of Mulanje Athletics Club was the runner up and recorded 1 hour 26 minutes and 34 seconds. She got MK1 million, twice as much as what Nalise Chirwa got on the third position.

On top of the cash prizes, the winning athletes were also given humpers from Lilongwe Dairy and beautiful pieces of cloth from the Anti-Corruption Bureau.

“I’m so happy to have broken last year’s record. I’m really inspired and I know this will help me to get more support and sponsorship.

“My desire is to be an international athlete who can often rub shoulders with Kenyan, Ugandan and Jamaican athletes,” said the 21-year-old champion, Chikondi Mwanyali.

Fostina Mbemba who finished fourth last year but is champion this year, told Maravi Post “It was her first experience to come out tops in a 21-Kilometre race.

“I have always wanted to be champion of a race like this one. I’m glad I have made it this year. I will continue to work hard for more success,” she said.

Vice Board Chairperson for the Malawi National Council of Sports who was Guest of Honour, Charles Ulaya Banda, said it felt good to see more companies coming in to support the event this year.

“We are here again this year because we said Mzuzu City Half Marathon will be an annual event. We are very humbled for the support we have gotten from the corporate world. We rate this event highly and we promise that cash prizes will continue to increase,” said Ulaya.

The starting point for the half marathon was Saint John’s Hospital.

From there, the runners went up past Marymount Girls Secondary School to Mzuzu Technical College to Chiputula; down to Mzuzu Airport to Shoprite Roundabout, to clock tower; past Taifa Market and finished in the stadium, after the second lap.

Sports

Mzuzu City Half Marathon back

Maravi Post Reporter

By Phillip Pasula

MZUZU-(MaraviPost)-The second edition of Mzuzu City Half Marathon is slated for Sunday, March 10, 2024.

Chairperson for the Organising Committee of the marathon, Peter Mumba, confirmed the development on Thursday morning during a press briefing held at Malawi National Council of Sports (MNCS) offices in Mzuzu.

Besides the marathon itself, there will also be a fun run, relay race and aerobics.

Sponsors to this year’s event include Lilongwe Dairy who are sponsoring the main event, Medical Aid Society of Malawi (MASM) who will shoulder all the costs regarding relay race, Itel Malawi, Lab Processors Limited, and IBIB Consultancy.

Minister of Sports, Uchizi Mkandawire, will grace the event.

Mumba hailed the partnership that is there among MNCS, Moyale Barracks and Mzuzu City Council in as far as organization of the event is concerned.

“We are happy to announce that we are very. Preparations are over and I wish to thank the corporate world for coming in to sponsor this event this year. There will be a lot of fun this year because in addition to the marathon itself, we will also have relay race and aerobics,” explained Mumba.

Yotam Mutafya of Mzuzu City Council said the event will lift the profile of the city.

“This event will help to lift the profile of Mzuzu City while at the same time help to improve the health aspect of city residents and even those outside the city. In terms of tourism, this is an opportunity for hospitality facilities to attract new customers. I urge all Mzuzu City residents to patronize this event,” remarked Mtafya.

The starting point for the half marathon this Sunday is Saint John’s Hospital.

From there, the runners will go up past Marymount Girls Secondary School to Mzuzu Technical College to Chiputula; down to Mzuzu Airport to Shoprite Roundabout, to clock tower; past Taifa Market and finish in the stadium, after the second lap.

Other Sports, Sports

Mwanyali does it again at Mzuzu City half marathon

Maravi Post Reporter

By Phillip Pasula

MZUZU-(MaraviPost)-After winning gold at Mzuzu City national cross country on February 25 at Mzuzu Golf Course, Chikondi Mwanyali of Civo Athletics Club in Lilongwe is again a gold medallist for the inaugural Mzuzu City half marathon held on Sunday.

Mwanyali, who went away with K1 million cash prize, finished the 21 Kilometre race in 1 hour, 8 minutes and four seconds. Following him for silver medal and K750, 000.00 was Chancy Master from the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) while Macdonald Maganizo from the Support Battalion of the MDF was third, winning a bronze medal and K500, 000.00.

In the ladies’ category, it was 24-year-old Nalise Chirwa of Forever Club in Mzuzu who won gold after covering the same distance for 1 hour, 23 minutes and 44 seconds. She too went away with MK1 million.

Getting MK750, 000.00 and a silver medal on second position was Asimenye Simwaka from the MDF while Doris Fisha from Athletics Mountain Club in Phalombe finished third to win bronze and MK500, 000.00.

Speaking to journalists after winning the marathon, 20-year-old Mwanyali said he emulates the hard working spirit by Kenyan athletes.

“With hard work it’s all possible. I always admire Kenyan athletes and I train with confidence. Given chance to train in Kenya, I can put Malawi higher on the international level. My role model is athlete Joshua from Uganda,” said Mwanyali.

On her part, Nalise Chirwa, said it wasn’t easy but she was so happy to win K1 million.

“This will give me encouragement to work extra hard. I hope to do well even at the international level. I hear we will be sent to Zambia for another competition and I hope do well even there,” she said.

Minister of Youth and Sports, Uchizi Mkandawire who was Guest of honour at the event, hailed the Malawi National Council of Sports, the MDF and Medhealth for organising the event.

“This is the way to go if we are to promote our athletes. Sport is one important area in the 2063 national agenda for us to have a healthy nation. This is why government is pulling resources together to improve infrastructure like the Aquatic Complex and the Griffin Saenda Sports Complex in Lilongwe,” remarked Mkandawire.

Board Chairperson for the Malawi National Council of Sports (MNCS), Dr Sunduzwayo Madise, said the Mzuzu City half marathon has come to stay.

“We are grateful to the people of Mzuzu for the support they gave to this whole event. We have learnt lessons so that when we come back next year, the event should even be bigger. We think we can now stage a full marathon in future,” he said.

Madise also bemoaned the state in which Mzuzu Stadium is, describing it as pathetic.

“The facility here is quite embarrassing. The Mayor should be told. We need to ensure that the pitch is in good shape. As council, we can come in to assist if they engage us. This facility is not very big.

“You already have the stands; you have the pitch and the VIP. All it needs is a little bit of patch up and tender loving care. We will engage them if they are slow on this,” remarked Dr Madise.

Next on the athletics calendar is the Blantyre City Marathon to take place in a few months to come.