By Innocent Chunga:
Gift Nazombe and Loyce Pophiwa on Sunday emerged winners of this year’s Tour de Dwangwa 85-kilometre Cycling competition in the drop-hand section.
Nazombe, of Blantyre Cycling Club, won the men’s category whereas Pophiwa, of Lilongwe Cycling Club, followed suit in the women’s category.
Gift, son to cycling legend Steven Nazombe, completed the race in an impressive time of 2 hours, 25 minutes and 12 seconds.
The distance was from Kande in Nkhata Bay District to Chitowe Stadium in Dwangwa, Nkhotakota,
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His father, Steve, 44, from the same Blantyre Cycling Club, finished as runner-up, covering the distance in 2 hours, 25 minutes and 14 seconds.
Peter Zulu from Mchinji Cycling Club took third place with a time of 2 hours and 26 minutes.
In the mountain bike men’s category, Missi Kathumba won the race in 2 hours and 27 minutes while Blessings Kumwenda finished second in 2 hours and 28 minutes.
Dwangwa Roundtable 69 organised the race to raise funds for the construction of a perimetre fence at Nkhotakota Local Education Authority Primary School, a facility dedicated for special needs learners.
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Chairperson for Dwangwa Roundtable 69, Dyson Mpeketula, said they realised K12 million during this year’s competition—compared to last year, when K3 million was collected.
“We have made a surplus of K12 million for community development. It is not enough for our project at Nkhotakota LEA but it is enough to get the project started,” Mpeketula said.
In his remarks, District Commissioner for Nkhotakota, Bed Tonho, appealed to other companies and corporate partners to support such activities, highlighting their socio-economic benefits in the district.
“We, as Nkhotakota District Council, are developing the district into a tourism city. Bringing together cyclists from across the country has shown how such an activity can support the economic sector,” Tonho said
Meanwhile, General Manager for Dwangwa Illovo Estate, McLaren Debwe, has said the company would continue supporting the event.
Cycling Federation of Malawi President Malumbo Kayira thanked Dwangwa Roundtable 69 and Illovo Sugar Malawi plc for increasing sponsorship and promoting women’s participation in the event.
At the event, other categories involved Kabaza operators, women, juniors and people living with disabilities.
This year’s event attracted 208 cyclists, both professional and otherwise.
