Bab ups preps for Naaz event

Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
THE Bulawayo Athletics Board (Bab) has upped preparations for the National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe (Naaz) junior and senior track and field championships set for White City Stadium on Sunday.

Some athletes that will represent Zimbabwe in the Confederation of Schools Sport Associations of Southern Africa (Cossasa) competition in Botswana next month will take part in the event.

This meet will be used to assess athletes for the Youth Olympics, World Junior Championships, Africa Senior Championships and the African Union Sports Council Region Five Under-20 Youth Games

Bab chairman Manuel Mpofu said: “We are now putting the final touches, but we are ready to host a successful meet. We are expecting our best athletes in the country for this one. We already have clubs from as far as Harare and Bindura that have confirmed their participation.”

Last year Zimbabwe picked nine medals, including three gold medals at the Africa Junior Championships from a team of 20 in Algeria.

Mpofu called on schools, tertiary institutions as well as established clubs in the country to send athletes for the competition.

Entry fees have been pegged at $2 for an event per athlete and $4 per relay team. Late registration will be $3 and Mpofu said payments can be made via EcoCash and bank transfers.

Events to be contested include 100m, 200m, 800m, 1 500m, 3 000m, 10 000m, mixed relays and the four-minute mile qualifiers. Field events will include long jump, triple jump, shot-put, javelin and discus.