Bulawayo will be ready for youth games athletics

BULAWAYO Athletics Board (BAB) chairman Watson Madanyika believes the many events organised by his association have left the province’s athletes adequately prepared for the Zimbabwe National Youth Games.

Mashonaland East are the host province for this year’s competition and have chosen Mashonaland East to be the hosts.
The Games are set for next month and provinces have been busy putting together teams to take part in several sporting disciplines.

Madanyika whose province has averaged at least one track and field event since November last year every month, believes Bulawayo will compete.
He held his last competition before the August Games in Marondera at White City Stadium last Saturday and was overally impressed with the turnout, commitment and quality of some of the events.

“We have done all we could as a province. We had several competitions and at some stage almost a race very four weeks from November last year in a bid to keep our athletes and meeting officials occupied so that they stay in shape. We want to come up with a team that will stand the competition in Marondera and we are sure we have the athletes to deliver chosen from the many competitions we have held so far. It should be all systems go, we will have a good team,” said Madanyika on the sidelines of his BAB organised track and field championship at White City Stadium on Saturday.

The event attracted athletes from Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, Masvingo, the Midlands and the hosts.

“Some of the results are good and going into the Youth Games in two weeks’ time, we expect fireworks,” said Madanyika.
As expected Matabeleland North’s Tulange Mudenda won the women’s 10 000m in 40 minutes 10.46 seconds and was followed by Songanga’s Sixolile Zulu in 41 minutes 30.15 seconds and her teammate Nicky Ncube 43 minutes 37.44 seconds.

Brave Moyo of Great Dyke won the men’s 31 minutes 52.99 seconds and Amhlophe High School Simba Ruwaza was second in a poor 44 minutes 00.62 seconds.

Cyrene High School’s Andile Jappie clocked 22.21 seconds, his teammate Ngqabutho Maphosa was second in 22.26.
Andile Hl;eza of Sobukhazi ran the fastest 200m of 21.26 seconds in the Under-20 category which was even better than the seniors’. He relagated Blessing Munyuki to second place in 21.65 seconds.

Lennon Mukarati who ran as an independent in the seniors’ category was home in 21.56 seconds in the 200m with Donald Muguyaka second in 21.90.
In the women’s 400m Msitheli High School athlete, Patience Tshuma was first in 59.25 seconds, Thubalami of Moes second in 62.92 seconds.

Msana Ndebele of Matabeleland South and Kipkeino Athletics Club won the youth boys’ 400m in 50.15 seconds with Moes’ Thaboluhle Mkhwananzi second in 51.02.
Munyuki redeemed himself in the 400m for youths winning it in 48.05 seconds while Fast Lane Crew’s Mthabisi Kayombe ran the fastest 400m of the day to win the men’s in 49.62 seconds.

Independent athlete Munyaradzi Chongore chased Northlea’s Freedom Banda to the end in the men’s 3000m. He clocked 9 minutes 12.51 seconds as Banda won it in 9 minutes 01.96 seconds.
Rutendo Vushe clocked the best time of the day among women in the 100m in 12.78 seconds with Chibilo Tshuma second with 13.09.

Twenty-year-old Derick Matutu ran the fastest 100m of 10.32 seconds.

Matutu has been the fifth member of the Zimbabwe 4x400m relay team.