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Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
HILLCREST College’s talented sprinter Panashe Nhenga is among the 49 athletes in camp ahead of the Confederation of Africa Athletics (CAA) African Junior Championships competition (AJC) set for Ndola in Zambia from April 29 to May 4.
Individual brilliance from Nhenga was the major talking point at the 2023 National Association of Secondary Heads (NASH) inter-district athletics competitions held at Murambinda B High School in Buhera recently.
Nhenga remained on the lips of many as he virtually outclassed competitors in all events he competed.
However, the CAA Africa Junior Championship Team Zimbabwe in camp comprises youth women with nine athletes, youth men of 12 athletes, junior women of 12 athletes and junior men of 16 athletes to make a grand total 49.
National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe (NAAZ) youth director Braid Nhubu said the preparations for the Zambia event are going on well and thanked Government for its intervention through the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) in facilitating the camp.
“We had entered 56 but only 49 have met the requirements regarding travel documents and other expectations. We are in camp from April 22 to 26. We will travel to Ndola, Zambia on the 27th and the competitions will runs from April 29 to May 4.
“Some athletes qualified last year at the Region Five games held in Malawi. We also had the NASH competition that gave other athletes opportunity to qualify. The other platform was our NAAZ Junior Championship.
“We are very much excited that Team Zimbabwe has managed to gather for the preparation camp and we want to applaud NAAZ and government, through the SRC and Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation for availing this opportunity for us to camp and subsequently travel to Zambia.
“A lot is being done to ensure safe and comfortable stay of our athletes. It is a big leap towards positive grassroots development which one of NAAZ, Zimbabwe Olympic Committee and SRC strategic plan, that of implementing LTAD,” said Nhubu.
The Rusape-based veteran athletics coach said the forthcoming competition in Zambia is of great value to participants.
“For juniors, this CAA is a high level competition that will enable most athletes to be selected by sponsors from abroad. It is also an opportunity to get scholarships abroad,” he said.
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