The Sunday Mail
MASVINGO-based long-distance runner Elijah Mabhunu is basking in glory after bagging six titles in the just-ended marathon season and has dismissed concerns that he risks burning out as he competes in just about every competition.
The 25-year-old’s latest triumph came last weekend when he beat a field of over 70 athletes to clinch the Old Mutual Vumba Mountains Half-Marathon title in a time of 1 hour 5 minutes and 15 seconds.
That victory came hard on the heels of another impressive show at the Gutu Half-Marathon in which he clocked 1h5m to pocket the US$1 000 winner’s purse.
Mabhunu also won the Econet Victoria Falls, Kariba, PPC Matopos and Tanganda half-marathons, making him the most successful road runner in the country in 2014. He missed the Old Mutual Westgate title by a whisker, coming second to Jacob Mugomeri in a tightly contested race in September.
As a result, Mabhunu leads the local road runners earnings table, having pocketed just over $6 000 so far this year.
With no official sponsor, Mabhunu has had to foot all expenses associated with training and participation in races.
The athlete has now set his sights on competing outside the continent as a build-up to his ultimate aim — representing Zimbabwe at the next Olympic Games to be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2016.
“I have worked hard for this. I set myself a very huge target at the beginning of the season and I am satisfied with the way things have turned out. Yes, people have talked about fatigue, burn out and the like, but my training program caters for such a likelyhood.
“I only train very hard during the offseason period, that is between December and April, when I run 21km daily, but normally I don’t strain myself between races,” said Mabhunu.
He believes this season’s success is a sign of better things to come.
“It’s important that I get to compete in international races, especially in Europe next year because my ultimate aim is to represent Zimbabwe at the next Olympics. The problem I am facing is lack of sponsorship and I hope my recent links with a South Africa-based company bear fruits.”
