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THE African Senior Athletics Championships have come and gone and tradition dictates that every member-nation must now take stock, review their teams’ performances, and plan ahead for the next edition.
For hosts Cameroon, this will likely require a bigger introspection or, better yet, an inspection of their facilities which, according to news outlets from around the continent, were not really up to scratch.
The organisers of the games —held from June 21-26 at the Stade Japoma in Douala, — have since come under fire with numerous athletes and medal winners complaining about the state of running tracks and a few hiccups that occurred during the Games.
Ghana, hosts of the next event in 2026, would be wise to learn from this.
After all, a clever student learns from his own mistakes while a wise man learns from other people’s mistakes.
Back home, however, the time has come for the National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe (NAAZ) to address the huge elephant in their room.
But before that though, let us s give credit where it is due.
Much like the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) at the African Games in Ghana, NAAZ clearly had a vision and strategy heading into the Games and for that deserve their flowers.
Priority was given to those athletes who had the best chances of qualifying for the Olympic Games, which, as far as the objective was concerned, was rather spot on.
Team Zimbabwe for the African Senior Championships comprised of 11 athletes, namely the United States of America-based quintet of Ashley Kamangirira, Vimbayi Maisvorewa, Tapiwanashe Makarawu, Takudzwa Donald Chiyangwa and Chengetayi Mapaya.
It also included Tafadzwa Chikomba, Dickson Kamungeremu, Elizabeth Msipa, Ngoni Makusha, Gerren Muwishi and Dennis Hove.
In the case of Makarawu, the 23-year-old sprinter had already qualified for the Olympics and the African Championships were part of his preparations for the Paris Summer Games.
The rest mostly used the trip to Cameroon as their last chance to possibly punch their tickets for the Olympics, which are scheduled for July 26 to August 11 in Paris, France.
From the 11 athletes, Zimbabwe came back with two medals, which were silvers from triple jumper Mapaya and Makarawu in the 200-metre race.
Two medals from 10 athletes may not be nothing much to write home about but it does establish a starting point.
The problems holding the sport back have been in the public domain for a while.
Resources are scarce as countless athletes fail to attend top meets owing to financial constraints.
There are no facilities to talk about, none of the venues in the country including the National Sports Stadium, University of Zimbabwe Grounds and White City Stadium in Bulawayo meet the World Athletics standards and specifications.
Although Zimbabwe has been exporting young and promising talent, that can be a temporary solution.
Makarawu and Mapaya, Zimbabwe’s two medallists from the African Championships, are the leaders of the new school of foreign-based, who look to have benefited from their time abroad.
They have been training for years at the best of facilities and under the tutelage of some of the best coaches around in the United States.
Yes, Mapaya has since graduated from Texas Christian University but the 25-year-old now resides and is based in the US.
Makarawu and Makanakaishe Charamba, another US-based athlete, have both punched their tickets to Paris, joining long-distance runners Isaac Mpofu and Rutendo Nyahora and rower Stephen Cox for the global showcase.
Wrapping up Team Zimbabwe is the duo of swimmers Denilson Cyprianos and Paige Van der Westhuizen who were awarded universality slots.
Mapaya, Makarawu and Charamba are just the tip of the iceberg of the immense talent abroad.
Waiting in the wings are names like high jumpers Kudakwashe Chadenga and Kundayi Maguranyanga, Maisvorewa and the since-graduated Tinotenda Matiyenga.
A lot more needs to be done to identify promising athletes, whom NAAZ president Tendayi Tagara and his board can help facilitate scholarships abroad.
Once abroad, these athletes will get trained and hone their skills at the best facilities, under the best coaching and with unlimited resources.
Even after graduation, NAAZ and, in particular the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee, can chip in and assist these athletes as they turn professional.
Mapaya is one beneficiary of such support and has the potential to go far.
Online Reporter