Chitate upbeat

The championships are scheduled for Bydgoszcz in Poland and will see athletes across the globe taking part in the senior men and women and the junior men and women.
Chitate will compete in the senior women 8km event.

Chitate finished second at the regional competition and will be making her debut appearance at the World event.
“The preparations went well and I trained hard for this competition. I am expecting to be in top 10.

“This is my first time to go to the World Cross-Country championships. There is a lot of pressure since I am going to be alone and the whole country will be looking at me. Taking part for the first time you basically do not know what to expect.

“But some of the athletes were at the Southern region competition and it will give me some confidence,” said Chitate.
National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe president, Tendai Tagara expressed confidence in Chitate saying she is a seasoned athlete whom he expects to do her best and make the nation proud.

“They are going early to acclimatise. Chitate did well at the Southern Africa regional cross-country in Lesotho where she came second.
She is quite a character and she would stand her ground. She met some of the athletes in South Africa at the regional competition.

“However, there are countries such as France, Italy, Portugal, Russia, Kenya and Ethiopia, they are powerhouses in cross-country. Their women are very strong but I know she will make a good account of herself,” said Tagara.