adminEllina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
NATIONAL Athletics Association of Zimbabwe director for coaching, talent identification and development Lisimati Phakamile has expressed disappointment after most athletes missed the National Track and Field Championships at White City Stadium, in Bulawayo on Saturday.
The national coaching department had hoped to identify athletes for upcoming major competitions.
Phakamile said there were a few good results posted but their major concern was the failure by most athletes to attend which affected their selection process.
“The competition was attended by mostly Southern Region clubs and schools maybe owing to the current transport costs and other factors.
“We had a few good results from both track and field events with notably a 2.05m jump by Mathew Msamanyada in the senior men high jump and Sipho Moyo of Ihlosi club sprinting 48.72seconds in the senior men 400m. “Prissy Mpofu leaped 5.58m to win the junior women long jump event and Raymond Ngavi of Victoria Falls Mosi Striders clocking 10.62 seconds in 100m.
“Other than these few notable events it was not as good as we expected. If compared to last season very few athletes attended and this disturbed our process to select and identify athletes for the major events.
“We hope that clubs will pull resources together and try to make it to the next meet to gauge and attempt to qualify,” said Phakamile.
The athletics mother body are seeking to field teams at the Confederation of African Athletics Under-18 and Under-20 Championships in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire in April. They have the World Championships to be staged in Doha, Qatar between September and October. Bulawayo Athletics Board chairman Manuel Mpofu, said there were some improvements in the middle and long distance events.
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