Huge field expected at Naaz meet

Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
HUNDREDS of athletes from across the country are expected to be at White City Stadium for the National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe organised track and field competition.

All events, except the pole vault will be there. The first event starts at 9AM.

Bulawayo Athletics Board chairman Manuel Mpofu last night said it was all systems go for the second meet of the season that is also being used as a qualifier for the upcoming international and regional competitions.

The African Junior Athletics Championships will be held in Ethiopia from March 5 to 8 while the Southern Region Senior Championships will be held in either Mozambique or Namibia.

“We are expecting a full field as athletes from as far as Bindura, Harare, Kwekwe, Hwange and of course here in Bulawayo have confirmed participation. We are also grateful to the authorities for allowing us to use some of the equipment that was used during the African Union Sports Council Region 5 Under-20 Youth Games,” said Mpofu.

Athletes like Thando Maphosa, the Taderera siblings Simbarashe, Sandra and Cynthia, Yvonne Vanhuvaone, Nyasha Charundura as well as Tom and Tinago are all expected to be part of the competing field.

The event, however, might have come too early for most school going athletes who have been competing in the National Association of Secondary Heads(Nash) track and field competitions from Thursday.

African Junior Championships qualifying standards

100metres: Men: 10.6seconds-10.84seconds, Women:11.9seconds-12.14seconds

200metres:Men:21.50sec-21.74sec, Women:24.5osec-24.74sec

400metres: Men: 48.20sec-48.32sec, Women:55.30sec-55.44sec

800metres: Men: 1min 51.50sec, Women: 2min10.00sec

1,500metres: Men:3min49.00sec, Women: 4min 29.00sec

3,000metres: Women:9min 40.00sec,

5,000metres: Men: 14min 19.00sec, Women:16min 40.00sec

10,000metres: Men: 30min 50.00sec,

110metres hurdles: Men:14.3sec-14.54sec,

100metres hurdles: Women: 14.4sec-14.64sec

400m hurdles: Men:53.5sec-53.64sec, Women: 61.6sec-61.74sec