Bab gears up for first track and field event of the year

THE Bulawayo Athletics Board (Bab) is gearing up to host its first track and field event of the year at White City Stadium on Saturday.

The event promises to bring together top athletes from around the city, competing in a range of disciplines, including sprints, hurdles and field events like long jump, triple jump, javelin, discus and shot-put.

One of the highlights of the meet will be the ZITF CocaCola Four-Minute Mile Challenge Qualifier, which is expected to attract a large and enthusiastic crowd.

Bab chairperson, Watson Madanyika, expressed his excitement about hosting the event.

“We are looking forward to our first event of the year. This championship will serve as a great opportunity for coaches to assess their athletes and make necessary adjustments ahead of the upcoming Naph and Nash competitions,” he said.
Madanyika also emphasised the importance of grassroots development.

“We want to ensure that our sport is growing at all levels, from cadets to seniors. That’s why we’ve kept the entry fees affordable – just US$2 for cadets, youths and juniors and US$3 for seniors. We want to encourage participation and make sure athletes of all ages and backgrounds feel welcome. Athletics is about more than just competition, it’s about community and growth,” he stated.

In related news, the National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe (Naaz) is set to hold courses for Coach Education and Certification Systems (CECS) and Technical Officials Education System (TOECS) in Harare, Bulawayo, Mutare and Masvingo.

The first course was held in Harare and the next ones are scheduled to take place in Bulawayo tomorrow and Saturday, and in Mutare from February 31 to March 1.

Harare and Bulawayo will also host the TOECS tomorrow and Saturday respectively.
Naaz has made it possible for each province with at least 30 technical officials or coaches to register for officials’ or coaches’ courses, and they will host a class in their respective province.

This move is aimed at decentralising the programme and making it more accessible to athletes and coaches across the country. —@innocentskizoe