Mr Pace Athletics Club eyeing more events

Ellina Mhlanga Senior Sports Reporter

MR Pace Athletics Club are not giving up on their goal to increase the number of events they host despite a discouraging 2021 season that saw them failing to host some of their competitions this year.

The club had four competitions lined-up for this year – a track and field event, Cross-coun­try, Mr Pace Marathon and a half-marathon.

But they only managed to stage the track and field event while the other competitions could not take place due the Covid-19 situa­tion. The other competition that was set for November was called off due to a low turnout.

Although things did not go as planned, the club is not throwing in the towel and club owner, Collen Makaza, believes they can still achieve their goal in the upcoming season that takes off in January.

“We intend to bring competition to the high-density suburbs. This is where these champions we have come from. So, we want to promote and plough back in those com­munities.

“We also want to help the youth stay away from drugs and keep them busy, give them something to look forward to.

“We have got five competitions for the 2022 calendar, starting with Cross-country on Jan­uary 30 in Chitungwiza.

“Then we have the road races and track and field competitions. For the track and field, we are thinking of bringing in wheelchair athletes for the first time. We want to include them in that competition,” said Makaza.

Their events are part of the National Ath­letics Association of Zimbabwe’s calendar.

“There were less races this year so we are targeting (qualification) for marathon, for the World Championships.

“So, we have been building up to that, training and preparing for the 2022 season because 2021 was not good for athletics and we are praying and looking forward to a better season.

“This year we managed to host only two events, the track and field and the Fun Run. The other events were affected by the lock­down and the other one, last month, we can­celled it because of a low turnout.

“I think most of the professional athletes are already training. And we are introducing group training, where they can train together. We are taking athletes from different clubs with the target that they can run 2:10 or 2.09.

“We also have new guys graduating from 21km to marathon. They have the speed, and they can push those aiming for World Cham­pionships qualification,” Makaza said .

For the upcoming season, besides the Mr Pace Chitungwiza half-marathon, they are looking at staging a Heroes Marathon in August.