adminAugustine Hwata Senior Sports Reporter
THE 2014 National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe season bursts into life with the staging of the season opening Track and Field Meeting at the National Sports Stadium tomorrow. Harare Athletics Board are hosting the event expected to attract some of the finest track athletes in Zimbabwe as they shake off some of the cobwebs gathered during the festive season.
Silas Muringani, the HAB secretary, yesterday said they invited all the top clubs and individuals for what will be the first athletics meet of the year.
“We feel that clubs have been conditioning their athletes during the week and now is the chance to gauge areas that need to be worked on as the season starts,” said Muringani.
Zimbabwe Republic Police, Luxoc, Lancashire Steel, NC Academy, Speed Dynamics and Millennium Academy, who are under coach Amon Nyaundi, have confirmed their participation.
Muringani is hoping that the 75 athletes who are on the short-list for the team to the African Youth Championship will also use the event as part of their preparations for the Botswana meeting.
“So far we have no youths who have qualified for the African Youth Championship since the standards have not been availed to us.
“I believe the athletes will give their best and those that do well can be considered in the selection process for now,” said Muringani.
Athletes will compete over 100m, 200m 800m, 300m and 5000m but it’s the four-minute mile challenge that could steal the show from the other events.
“We have scrapped most of the field events because athletes have not fully picked up and exposing them to events that are more technical likes jumps and throws could injure them.
“They need to get their bodies in shape before attempting field events but we have slotted the four- minute mile challenge where we want athletes to complete the one mile in less than four minutes.
“The four-minute mile challenge is a selection event for the Trade Fair Challenge in April this year,” said Muringani.
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