According to information obtained, the officials involved made the wrong markings of the distance, resulting in those running for the 10 kilometre title contesting an eight kilometre race while those for the five km actually ran six km.
Harare Athletics Board chairman Sebastien Garikai confirmed the anomaly, conceding the need to improve on the officiating for athletics to move forward. “We need to have regular training so that what happened does not repeat itself. It is not good for the sponsors and for athletics as a whole,†said Garikai.
He was, however, not in a position to say what reveal what would happen to the prize money for the two events. Garikai revealed there were no such problems with the main 21-kilometre race, won by Elijah Mabhunu and Rutendo Nyahora in the male and female categories, respectively. The two athletes received $3,000 each for their efforts.