Online Reporter
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
PROMISING athletes from Manicaland like Blessing Waison and Munyaradzi Jari, among others, are keeping their fingers crossed for possible recognition at the National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe (NAAZ) Athletics Excellence Awards 2025, taking place tomorrow (Saturday) at Bindura University of Science Education (BUSE).
The NAAZ Athletics Excellence Awards will be preceded by the National Cross Country Championships in the morning, where Manicaland athletes will also be among the competitors.
The two – Waison and Jari – will represent Manicaland in the senior men’s category.
Immediately after the morning championships, the venue will transform into a grand daytime ceremony for the NAAZ Athletics Excellence Awards 2025, honouring those who have carried Zimbabwe’s sporting banner with distinction.
This year’s awards celebrate excellence across all facets of athletics – athletes, coaches, officials, administrators, provinces, and corporate partners – reflecting the holistic ecosystem that sustains national sport.
In an interview, NAAZ president, Tendai Tagara, said: “This will be a landmark day for Zimbabwean athletics – a celebration that combines the intensity of national competition with the prestige of national recognition. The event offers rich, newsworthy content across sports, human-interest, and national development angles.”
Tagara confirmed that the National Cross Country Championships will also be a selection platform for Team Zimbabwe selection ahead of the World Championships.
“The awards event will feature the National Cross Country Championships, which will also be a selection platform for Team Zimbabwe ahead of the World Championships set for Florida in 2026. The race promises to be a spectacle of endurance, national pride, and rising talent – a vital story of how Zimbabwe is preparing to reassert its position on the global athletics map,” said Tagara.
Tomorrow, the morning session will feature the National Cross Country Championships, a key fixture on Zimbabwe’s athletics calendar and the official qualifying event to select Team Zimbabwe for the World Athletics Cross Country Championships to be held on January 10, 2026, in Tallahassee, Florida, USA. Athletes from all ten provinces will compete for national honours and a chance to represent the country at one of the most competitive endurance stages in the world.
This year’s event reflects Zimbabwe’s renewed commitment to developing grassroots and elite long-distance running, a discipline that has historically produced greats such as Samukeliso Moyo, Cuthbert Nyasango, and Isaac Mpofu.
The award categories include senior, junior, and youth – men and women athletes, first, second, and third places.
Other awards will be presented to coaches, best youth, junior, and senior coaches, the winner and two runners-up in each category, technical officials, top three officials for exceptional service and accuracy in officiating.
For administrators, the awards will recognise outstanding leadership and governance in athletics management, such as best provinces, for excellence in athlete development, participation, and performance, as well as corporate partners and sponsors, meant to honour organisations and brands that have supported NAAZ programmes, national events, and athlete development initiatives throughout the year, through sponsorship, technical assistance, cash, or in-kind contributions.
Tagara also underscored the recognition of the media during the awards ceremony.
“We are also recognising media institutions and individual journalists who have provided exceptional coverage, storytelling, and promotion of athletics in Zimbabwe, helping to inspire public engagement and celebrate athletic achievement nationwide. Why the Media Matters? Their platforms play a vital role in telling the Zimbabwean athletics story – a story of resilience, ambition, and national pride. NAAZ deeply values the media as a strategic partner in promoting the growth of athletics and inspiring young people through coverage that highlights both achievement and the hard work behind it,” said Tagara.
