Chronicle Editor
Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
THE Bulawayo Athletics Board (Bab) is hoping for a return of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) Coca-Cola four-minute mile this year and is preparing to stage the first qualifier at the end of this month.
The event didn’t take place in the past two years due to strict Covid-19 protocols that restricted the staging of sporting events in the country.
The country’s biggest annual trade expo will run from April 26-30.
The Coca-Cola four-minute mile is a competition with a pre-requisite time of 4 minutes 31 seconds for one to qualify for the final at the ZITF main arena.
The qualifiers are held in the months leading to the final day of the event.
“After announcements of the ZITF dates, we have decided to put in motion plans for the event because we do not want to be caught unaware.
“We are hoping the event will return this year. We will be engaging sponsors of the event and also closely following up with the organisers to see if entertainment activities will be back this year.
“In the meantime, we will go ahead with the qualifiers till a time we have the final position on the meet. The first qualifier will be at White City on February 20,” said Bab chairperson Watson Madanyika.
Other sport codes that are traditionally held at the ZITF are bodybuilding and tug-of-war.
Meanwhile, a two-week training camp for long-distance runners is underway in Bulawayo, with nine athletes in attendance.
The camp is being facilitated by the National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe and is part of its project aimed at assisting athletes with the potential to qualify for international events.
The athletes were selected based on their times and the nine currently in camp are Ngonidzashe Ncube, Tryphina Picardo, Ethel Sibanda, Annie Chirisa, Moses Tarakinyu, Tendai Zimuto, Wellington Varevi, Elijah Mabhunu and Caroline Mhandu.
Fifteen locally-based athletes were expected to participate in the camp, but others excused themselves. – @innocentskizoe
Bunjiwe Mkwananzi