adminEllina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
SEASONED female middle and long-distance runner Olivia Chitate has set her eyes on qualification for next year’s World Championships as she seeks to take her sporting career to another level. The 30-year-old is targeting qualification for marathon at the global event to be held in Qatar.
Speaking after the Nyaradzo Harare Athletics Club Memorial 32km run, where she came second behind teammate Rutendo Mapindu, Chitate said she will take her first step to qualification when she competes in the Gaborone Marathon in May.
“We are preparing for a marathon, we want to qualify for World Championships next year. My target is to go for the Gaborone Marathon in Botswana in May with hopes to prepare for qualification to the World Championships,” said Chitate.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police runner has represented the country before at the championships but it was in the 5 000m event when she got a wild card in 2015 in China.
“It’s my first time aiming for qualification for marathon. I have been to the World Championships before but it was through a wild card.
‘’So what I experienced there was really something interesting and I told myself that I would want to come back not through a wild card but I have to qualify because it motivates you as an athlete just knowing that you have worked hard to reach that level,” said Chitate.
Chitate challenged the national association to push for more participation from the grassroots and encouraged more female athletes to get involved as she commended Mapindu, an upcoming middle and long-distance runner, for winning Sunday’s race.
“I am really happy for Mapindu, we work together and I have always told her she is talented. So I was happy for her when she won the race. We need to encourage each other as women because the number of female athletes is decreasing. I also think our national associations are not encouraging children from schools, there is no motivation at school level. So we need to encourage each other,” said Chitate.
Online Reporter