HUNDREDS of amateur and professional athletes are expected to flock to Limpopo this week for the annual F21 Half Marathon.

HUNDREDS of amateur and professional athletes are expected to flock to Limpopo this week for the annual F21 Half Marathon.

The event will be held in Namakgale, Phalaborwa, at the Foskor Community Centre (FCC) on Saturday July 25.

This will be the 19th edition of the event that was reinstated in 2007 after a three-year break.

The F21 half marathon has become so popular that it attracts professional and upcoming athletes from throughout the country and from Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Lesotho and Mozambique.

And it promises to be bigger and better than last year's and organisers hope athletes will put up their best performances and seek to break records.

Jeffrey Gwebu and Sharon Tavengwa won last year's event in a time of 1:03:58 and 1:13:32, respectively, winning the first prize of R21100 each.

This year they are expected to surpass the records that were set by Ezael Tlhobo of 1:01: 55 in 1997, and Elana Meyer's 1: 12: 19, which she set in 1999. A total of 847 athletes took part in the event last year.

"The F21 half marathon is the epitome of road races in South Africa as far as organisation is concerned.

"The turn-out and involvement of the crowd and prize money is also worth noting," said Roelf Coetzee, chairperson of Road Running Limpopo Province.

Athletes wishing to enter can contact Suzette or Anita on 015-789-2047 or by fax at 015- 789-2094 for more information.