adminNkosilathi Sibanda in BULAWAYO
THE African Union Sports Council Region 5 Under-20 Youth Games athletics competitions at White City will be used as qualifiers for the 2016 Africa Athletics Championships.Owing to the upgrade of White City to a world-class athletics arena, it was unanimously agreed by participating countries that the Games be the platform to assemble teams to compete with the rest of the continent.
The African Athletics Championships will be held in Marrakech, Morocco, next year.
Moses Bantsi, Confederation of African Athletics president for the Southern Region, revealed that all qualifying times at White City will be used as qualifiers for the African Championships.
Bantsi, who was impressed by the renovations at White City, said they could not have found a better competition for the African qualifiers.
“These competitions at White City will be the qualifiers for the African Championship. There is no other race that can beat the standard that has been set by Zimbabwe.
“The fact that the sixth edition of the Games was held under world-class standards deserves the right to be awarded as the only qualifying stage for the African championships,” said Bantsi.
He said there are few athletics arenas that match the equipment installed at White City.
He commended the Government for its commitment on renovating the stadium.
“What we see here at White City is world-class. There are few countries that boast of having the equipment that Zimbabwe has put in place.
“Even some European countries do not have the same technology. The Government of Zimbabwe invested a lot in these Games.”
Online Reporter