Story by Lawrence Trusida, Sports Editor
VETERAN long-distance runner Mike Fokoroni is still chasing a dream that has eluded him for years after registering to compete in the Comrades Marathon set for KwaZulu Natal, South Africa this Sunday.
The 46-year-old who has won the Two Oceans race is hoping to follow in the footsteps of the legendary Stephen Muzhingi, the only Zimbabwean to win the Comrades Marathon.
Muzhinji won the 90-kilometre marathon three times in a row between 2009 and 2011.
It has, however, not been the same script for Fokoroni whose best finish in the Comrades Marathon was eighth in 2013.
The veteran long-distance runner is not giving up yet and will try again at the age of 46.
“I am ready for it, I have been training for the past six months and I paced myself knowing that Comrades is the race that I want to run and with the price money that is half a million rands, I am going for it,” asserted Fokoroni.
The journey has been a little bit easier this year after the setting up of the Nedbank Zimbabwe athletics club which registered all local athletes for the race which comes with rich pickings.
This is in sharp contrast with the past when local athletes were entering the competition under South African clubs.
This year’s event will be downhill and will see a number of new athletes competing, among them ZBC cameraperson, Nyasha Marira and Kudzai Pasi of the Musabvunda Fitness.
