shloboe boe
Innocent Kurira, Zimpapers Sports Hub
ZIMBABWE athletes will have a good warm up to the Inter-provincial championships when they take part in the Payne-Mdhlongwa Invitational Meet set for May 31 at White City Stadium, promising a talent-packed showdown across all age groups.
Open to all age-groups, the Inter-Provincial Track and Field are the biggest athletics event in the country and are expected to attract a very good field numbers wise and quality too.
Athletes will be vying for selection hence the Payne-Mdhlongwa event will be key to their fine-tuning.
Organised by the Bulawayo Athletics Board (BAB) and backed by US-based sponsors Arnold Payne and Ndabezinhle Mdhlongwa, the event will feature a full range of track and field events.
BAB chairperson Watson Madanyika shared his excitement ahead of the meet.
“This is more than a competition, it’s a gateway to life-changing opportunities for our athletes. We’re proud to host an event that not only showcases talent but also invests in athletes’ futures through international exposure and education.
“We thank our sponsors for making this possible and urge clubs to take full advantage of this rare opportunity,” said Madanyika.
Entry fees for the meet are pegged at $3 per individual event and $5 per relay team, payable via cash or bank deposit.
Entries will close on May 25 by end of the day and no registration will be allowed on competition day.
Mdhlongwa is a retired Zimbabwean triple jumper. He was the African record holder with 17,34 metres from 1998 to 2007. As a collegiate athlete for the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns, he won the 1995 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the triple jump.
Payne, a former 400m national record holder who was also part of the Zimbabwe team at the 1995 World Athletics Championships, described the non-availability of certified tracks in the country as a shame, as it gives up-and-coming athletes no hope of realising their dreams.
Payne also runs the Payne Global Sports International, an organisation which provides sports performance training for professional athletes, school sports-specific athletic training, as well as college and professional recruiting services for athletes.
-@innocentskizoe
Online Reporter