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Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
JUDO Association of Zimbabwe president Smart Deke says they are targeting to resume their decentralisation programme to ensure they have centres in different provinces.
The national association’s efforts to spread the sport to all provinces were boosted by the International Judo Federation that donated 500 judo suits and 10 judo mats in 2019.
JAZ received the judo suits last year but due to the Covid-19 pandemic there were delays in getting the mats, which are now expected this week.
“We are yet to set provincial centres. Judo was recorded as a minority sport but the fact that now we are going to get equipment, which we are expecting this week, we will be able to transform judo from being a minority sport to a majority sport.
“We expect to have about 20 new centres, targeting all provinces,” said Deke.
Among the major competitions on their calendar this year is the African Union Sports Council Region Five Games to be hosted by Lesotho later in the year.
The Games were moved from last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic and JAZ are hoping they can use the competition as their launch pad for their athletes development plan towards the African Games in 2023.
“We are targeting to train mainly the Under-20 for our long-term development plan.
“We are looking at a long term athletes development for podium performance. The roadmap is starting this year with the Region Five Games in Lesotho.
“We are targeting the All-Africa Games in Ghana that will be an Olympic qualifier for 2024, so we need to start early because our qualifiers are starting in 2022,” said Deke.
So far just a few clubs have started training under strict Covid-19 regulations.
The national association is hoping to hold the Japanese Ambassador Cup and a national event to prepare the targeted athletes for the Region Five Games.
They are also urging their members to be vaccinated so that they can fully return to competition.
“As things are slowly taking shape, we have spoken to the new Japanese ambassador, and he was saying if possible we can do it twice this year since we did not have it last year. We intend to have a national competition as well.
“I think we are going to have a half year calendar…I think we will have a proper calendar starting in May,” said Deke.
Deke, however, admitted after a long break from sport, efforts will be more on rebuilding and bringing back coaches athletes back into the sport.
Online Reporter