adminMzingaye Sibanda Sports Reporter
A BATTLE of the Titans is on the cards for when the country’s top athletes lock horns in the national cross-country championship at Kadoma Golf Course tomorrow. The athletes will be competing for a slot to represent the country in South Africa next month. All the athletes from the country’s 10 provinces are expected to arrive in Kadoma this afternoon.
In the senior men’s category defending champion Isaac Mpofu from Bulawayo will be the man to watch as he seeks to regain his crown.
Mpofu will be hoping to keep pace with his teammates from Unit Fairbridge who all qualified to represent the province under the tutelage of veteran coach Juma Phiri. Matabeleland South road runner Nkosiyazi Sibanda, Midlands-based Wimirayi Zhuwawo, Kelvin Pangiso, Jonathan Chinyoka and Hwange based Phathisa Ngwabi will be Mpofu’s main threats. In the women category Matabeleland South and former South Africa-based Thandiwe Nyathi who is back home to rekindle her career will have to shrug off tough challenges from
Siphilisiwe Zhou and the Tsholotsho duo of Brenda Banda and Saneliso Ncube.
“We will rock them,” quipped the Jimila-based Banda in her Facebook post.
Senior men will run in the 12km race while the senior women will tackle an 8km route, the same as the junior boys. Junior girls will participate in the 6km race.
Bulawayo Athletics Board chairman Manuel Mpofu said they are ready to defend their title.
“Last year we did well, Mpofu won the competition, athletes are in good shape and we are ready for the challenge. The competition will be stiff as athletes are preparing to represent the country in the next level,” said Mpofu.
Matabeleland North will seek to do away with the hoodoo that have befallen the province when it came to national competitions.
Matabeleland South athletics chairman Lisimati Phakamile said they want to lift the province flag high.
“We want to impress by producing a high number of athletes in the national team squad,” said Phakamile.
Each province is expected to send at least six athletes per category.
Online Reporter