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Fungai Muderere, Senior Sports Reporter
NATIONAL Athletics Association of Zimbabwe and Bulawayo Athletics Board team selectors will on Saturday be afforded an opportunity to identify talent ahead of the AUSC Region 5 Games set for Malawi in December.
This rare golden chance that also affords a great occasion for athletes to seal selection for AUSC Region 5 Games comes courtesy of Bulawayo based House of Champs (HOC) Athletics Club that is set to host track and field championships at White City Stadium.
“It’s an event that is open to everyone, that is, cadets (Under-14), youths (Under -18), juniors (Under-20) and seniors (above 20). This is an off season meet that is set to feature individuals, clubs, schools, colleges and universities as they prepare for the peak period of athletics season which starts in January.
“Naaz, Bab selectors and other coaches from all over the country will be expected to grace the meet to identify talent and also advise ahead of the Region 5 Games which will be held in Malawi at the end of the year. Remember the peak of an athletics season is between January and July so we want to thank the HOC club for coming up with such a prudent idea, a competition which we have never had during the off-season period,” said seasoned athletics administrator Manuel Mpofu who is one of the event’s organisers.
Some of the games to be played during the Region 5 Games are judo, volleyball, boxing, netball, swimming, tennis and football. The competition usually hosts more than 3 500 athletes and officials. The games will be played from December 2-11.
HOC official, Presley Mabhena said there will be a full package of events for the weekend’s track and field championships with the registration of athletes set to close tomorrow.
“Athletes will compete in 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 3000m, 5000m, long jump, triple jump, high jump, shot put, discus, javelin, hammer throw, 4x100mmixed relay and 4x 400m mixed relays.
Entry fees are pegged at US$1 or $1 000 in local currency per event for cadet, junior and senior athletes, US$2 or $2 000 in domestic currency per event for senior athletes and US$3 or $3 000 in local currency per relay team,” said Mabhena. — @FungaiMuderere
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