Kayange, Fisha rule Mulanje Porters' Race - 13/07/2010

After three years of trying, John Kayange finally got it right when his six months of intensive training saw him clinch the 2010 Mulanje Porters' Race championship title in the men's category. The Lilongwe-based soldier (Kayange) was the centre of attraction as he stormed to the finish line of the 25-kilometre race in 2 hours 08 minutes 45 seconds with Doris Fisha earning the ladies' category gold in 2:39:14.

"I have been training since January and this was the secret of my success today. It has been a long road to the championship title as in my last two attempts I always finished third," said Kayange, who received K50 000 cash prize after breaking last year's record of 2 hours 11 minutes in the category. Evance Nyazule finished second in the men's category in 2:09:20 minutes; Harry Sichali claimed the third place after clocking 2:11:20 followed on the fourth and fifth places by Charles Musowa and Francis Khanje in 2:11:39 and 2:11:45. The annual event, which pooled over 200 participants including foreigners, saw Fisha getting the ladies' category honours although she did not beat last year's record time of 2 hours 37 minutes. Last year's ladies category winner Theresa Master, looking exhausted after the race, settled for the second place in 2:45:23 followed by Nancy Matanda at 2:50:42.

Mulanje Mountain Conservation Trust hosted the race alongside Mulanje Mountain Club with NBS Bank and Arkay Plastics as sponsors. The trust's director Carl Bruessow said he was impressed with the turn up, saying the race, which started in 1996, was growing. Arkay sales manager Getrude Banda dished out her company's plastic ware products to the top 13 athletes with the champions getting table sets.

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