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Though Fortunate Chidzivo may be on the verge of 40, having celebrated her 39th birthday on Monday, there’s every chance the top runner from Zimbabwe can produce the kind of performance that saw her win the Two Oceans Half Marathon title in 2022.
That year, Chidzivo fell ill before the start of the race but somehow managed to lead from start to finish in what was the biggest achievement of her career on the road.
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With a 10km PB of 32:26 she set in 2019 and a half marathon best of 1:10:50, which is also a national record, Chidzivo will be eager to show her class once more.
With the 21.1km event taking place the day after the 56km main event, the focus will be on the shorter race.
Speaking about that win four years ago, Chidzivo said: “That win came unexpectedly. It was one of my biggest wins of my career. I was over the moon. The joy I experienced felt like I flew up to the sky and back to Earth again. It was also a special moment to win and see my husband waiting at the finish line to welcome me.”
Though it’s been some time since that triumph, Chidzivo has been in good form in 2026, having won the 10km event at the HAC Nyaradzo Memorial Run, the Old Mutual Harare Marathon 21km, and the CBZ Marathon 21km.
“A positive mindset is crucial as winning starts with positivity. Plus, having won the race before will be a driving force for me. But I’m going to the race without any expectations. I just want to enjoy being back on the start line. The stronger the competition, the better the times we will run. I’ll see how my body responds on the day. Let’s see if I can rewrite history.”