Chronicle Editor
Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
ATHLETES from Botswana are set to participate in the National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe (Naaz) inter-provincial track and field championships to be held at the National Sports Stadium’s B-Arena tomorrow.
At least 500 athletes will compete in the meet, with Zimbabwean athletes that record the best times for track events and best distances and height in field competitions making it into the national squads for international races.
The inter-provincial track and field championships coordinator Manuel Mpofu, who is also the Bulawayo Athletics Board (Bab) chairman, said they are ready for the games. “Everything is set for the competitions and we expect all athletes to be in Harare by Friday evening. We’ve been given a vote of confidence in the fact that Botswana are coming and we are hoping that two or so other countries from the region will participate in this meet. We are using this meet as a qualifier for the August African Games set for Morocco and the World Championships to be held this September in Qatar. We have secured electronic timers so that the event meets required international standards,” Mpofu said.
The athletes will compete in high jump, shot-put, discus, javelin, long jump and triple jump. The races for track competitions are 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1 500m, 5 000m and 10 000m. There are also 100m, 200m and 400m hurdles as well as 4X100m and 4X400m relays.
Bulawayo is represented by a 17-member squad, which includes Isaac Mpofu and Faith Nyathi, who compete in the 5 000m and 10 000m events, sprinters Sipho Moyo, Hillary Nkala and Faith Dube. — @ZililoR
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