JM Busha series enters second leg

Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
THE JM Busha triangular series enters the second leg this weekend at White City Stadium in Bulawayo with the National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe (NAAZ) hoping for a huge turnout. The series, being held between Harare and Bulawayo, will see the top 16 athletes, based on points they would have accumulated in the first two legs, meeting in Harare on May 25 for the final event at the National Sports Stadium.

The second leg is on this Saturday.

With over 400 athletes turning up for the first leg in Harare last month, NAAZ president Tendai Tagara said they are bracing for a bigger event.

“All roads in the local world of athletics lead to Bulawayo (this weekend). We are expecting all those who participated in the Harare leg to be in Bulawayo because they are scoring points.

“We have our target in the region of 600 to 800 participants because the hype has always been good in Bulawayo, even the spectators, it’s been good. There are those who just compete for competition’s sake, we are not worried if they don’t make it to Bulawayo.

“We encourage those who compete for the series to be in Bulawayo so that they consolidate their positions. It’s not necessarily the best runner (who) get into the finals but the athlete with the best points.

“After the second leg, the secretariat will sit down and come up with the finalists for the May 25 meet,” said Tagara.

The national association will be meeting with the sponsors JM Busha 54 Races today in Harare to finalise on the prizes to be won on the final day of the series.

“We are meeting with the sponsors on Thursday. But what I know is of the 26 events, because there are 13 for men and 13 for women, the top three will be getting money prizes. There are also two relay events, 4x100m and 4x400m,” said Tagara.

After hosting the first leg more than a week ago, Harare Athletics Board secretary-general, Silas Muringani, said they would want to see more athletes from the province competing in Bulawayo to add on to their points.