18 Aug 2025

The 5^th edition of the BDF Athletics Club Half Marathon  saw a clean sweep for Zimbabwe with Tatenda Hove and Melody Kaseke emerging as the male and female champions respectively.

The event held at Sir Seretse Khama Barracks in Mogoditshane on August 17 drew a diverse crowd of runners, reflecting its growing popularity. Hove, a seasoned runner from the Zimbabwe National Army who trains with the Black Rhinos Athletics Club, finished in a time of 1:05:07.

Reflecting on his performance, he said; “As a seasoned athlete, I am always prepared for any race. I have previously participated in marathons in Francistown, Palapye and the Sir Seretse Khama Half Marathon.” 

Kaseke, running with the Fast and Furious Club, clocked 1:17:53 to claim the women’s title. She described the race as challenging but manageable, adding; “The race was tough, but I managed to conquer it. I encourage other athletes that it is possible to beat my time.”

That marked her debut at the BDF half marathon, although she had previously competed in Botswana at the Kazungula Bridge Marathon in February. She was also happy with her performance and the results. Kenya’s Lazarus Too finished second with a time of 1:06:11, while Zimbabwe’s Ebel Chibanda secured third place in 1:07:03.

In the women’s category, Botswana’s Gaone Bathoeng and Kefilwe Galeitsiwe rounded out the podium, taking silver and bronze medals with times of 1:18:54 and 1:21:22, respectively. In addition to the medals, the winners received P10,000 for first place, P6,000 for second and P4,000 for third.

In an interview, the race’s marketing and publicity officer, Major Alfred Phinias, confirmed that everything went according to plan. “We targeted 2 000 runners, but we exceeded expectations by 100,” he said, highlighting the event’s increasing popularity.

Since its inception, Phinias said the race had experienced steady growth, attracting more participants each year. Beyond the main half marathon, the event also featured a 5km fun run and a 10km race across various categories. The 10km race saw individuals competing for prizes along with trophies awarded to corporate teams. ENDS