Cross-country season dates out

Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter

THE Bulawayo Athletics Board (Bab) has taken little time to rest with preparations for the cross-country season already in full swing.

Bab has lined up two events for January before the inter-provincials which are set for February.

The first provincial cross-country meet will take place at its traditional venue, Nketa Drive Park in Mpopoma on 7 January before the second one on 21 January.

The events will be used to select a provincial team for the inter-Provincial Cross-country set for Alan Lowry Golf Club, Redcliff in February.

Bab chairman Watson Madanyika is expecting more than 50 athletes, drawn from clubs and schools within the province.

“This will be our first event of the year and we will be hoping for an increased number of athletes compared to last year where we had a low turnout. We are looking at sending  athletes who will run good times during the qualifiers to the inter-provincials. Hopefully, we have one or two athletes from the province making the grade for the World Cross-Country that will be held on 30 March in Belgrade in Serbia,” said Madanyika.

The Bulawayo race starts at Nketa Drive Park in Mpopoma, going through Matshobana and back to the park.

Last year, Denford Mlilo won the race after finishing the 10km race in 37 minutes 57,59 seconds followed by Thabo Mapfumo, who crossed the line in 38 minutes 05,07 seconds, while Lenias Mcelelwa was third in 43 minutes 48,80 seconds Annie Chirisa won the senior women’s 10km race in 47 minutes 47,78 seconds.

He said the province will have its second event, the national track and field championships event at White City Stadium where athletes will compete in 100m, 200m, 400m, 1 500m, 3 000m, 100m hurdles, 110m hurdles, 400m hurdles, 4×100m, triple jump, long jump, high jump, shot put, discus, hammer and javelin.

Madanyika said a number of programmes have been lined up for the 2024 season that are meant to develop athletics in the city and partners have been secured for the different competitions. — @innocentskizoe