Brave Mwaphande and Fostiner Mbemba emerged victorious in the men’s and women’s categories, respectively, at the 3rd edition of the Mzuzu City Half Marathon held today at Mzuzu Stadium.
Mbemba successfully defended her title, improving her personal best to 1:20:37 two minutes faster than her 2023 winning time of 1:22:37. Meanwhile, Mwaphande pulled off a surprise victory, claiming his first major title with a time of 1:06:57, outpacing seasoned runners like serial winner Chikondi Mwanyali and veterans Kefasi Kasteni and Chancy Master.
Speaking after the race, a delighted Mwaphande credited his success to hard work and dedication in training.
“It’s all about putting in the effort. Since December, I’ve been training twice a day, and my coaches have been a great source of encouragement. I’m now looking forward to more competitions,” he said.
On her part, Mbemba attributed her victory to discipline and commitment to training.
“It wasn’t easy to win today because of the tough competition, especially from experienced female athletes. I thank God for this victory. Hard work and following the coaches’ instructions with passion and dedication made the difference,” she explained.
In the men’s category, Kefasi Kasteni secured second place at 1:06:58, while veteran Chancy Master finished third in 1:07:08.
In the women’s category, Annie Ngoma from Kamuzu Barracks took second place with a time of 1:24:15, while Mercy Malembo from Nsaru finished third in 1:26:19.
In the Relay races 4x100m women Moyale barracks claimed victory, while MDF athletics club came in second position and Kamuzu Barracks finished in third position. In the 4×100 m men, Kamuzu Barracks emerged as champions, while the Civo Service athletic club came second and the MDF athletic club finished in third position.
In the 4×400 m women, Zebras from Kasungu finished in first position, Moyale came second and MDF Athletics finished in third position. In the 4×400 m men Kamuzu barracks finished first, Civo Service Athletic Club finished in second position and MDF athletic finished in third position
The Mzuzu City Half Marathon continues to grow in stature, attracting top athletes from across the country. This year’s edition proved to be another exciting showcase of talent and endurance.