Chronicle EditorRicky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
TWENTY-FIVE athletes will represent Bulawayo at the National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe (Naaz) inter-provincial track and field championship finals to be held in Harare next month.
The Bulawayo Athletics Board (Bab) has started the process of analysing results from eight track and field events that were held in the city, with athletes that averaged the best times (track), distance and height in field events set to make the squad.
The inter-provincial championships’ best athletes will make it into the national squads for an international meet set for June 8 and 9 at the National Sports Stadium.
“Our Bab board member in charge of coaching Benson Mwanza is analysing results of athletes from competitions held from January to date. Using those results we will pick up a competitive team of 25 athletes. The squad will be named next week when we unveil our partners who will foot the bill for our team travelling to Harare,” said Manuel Mpofu, the Bab chairman.
The athletes will compete in high jump, shot-put, discus, javelin, long jump and triple jump. On the track, they will participate in the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1 500m, 5 000m and 10 000m.
There are also 100m, 200m and 400m hurdles as well as 4X100m and 4X 400m relays.
Among the Bulawayo athletes expected to qualify for the national meet that will also afford them opportunities to qualify for the African Games set for Morroco in August and the World Championships to be held in September in Qatar include Isaac Mpofu, Dumo Mkhwananzi, Trust Chidomaya and Faith Nyathi, who compete in the 5 000m and 10 000m events.
Sprinters Sipho Moyo, Hillary Nkala and Faith Dube have also been consistent performers in all Bab races.
– @ZililoR
Online Reporter