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Ellina Mhlanga Senior Sports Reporter
ATHLETICS coach Silas Muringani says lack of competition ahead of the upcoming World Athletics Under-20 Championships in Kenya has been a blow for his athlete, Samukeliso Ndebele.
The National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe are expecting to field two athletes – Ndebele and Clinton Muunga – at the championships.
Ndebele has been working with Muringani since 2019 when she got a scholarship at Dzivarasekwa 2 High School.
She ran a qualifying time in the 200m event and is expected to represent the country in Nairobi, Kenya, at the Under-20 global meet from August 17 to 22.
Muringani says lack of competition ahead of the World Championships is a concern.
“That has affected us a lot especially the fact that we have not had competition since her qualification, it has affected us negatively.
“We would have loved her to have maybe three or four competitions but as it stands now we cannot have even a single competition for her before Kenya,” said Muringani.
Muringani said competition would have given them the platform to assess the athlete in a competitive set-up.
“I would have loved a warm-up competition before Kenya but as it stands again there is nothing in sight, so it’s actually letting us down in terms of preparations and we are just going there without assessment.
“And if we are to do badly I wouldn’t blame her but rather blame the current situation. But at the same time you cannot blame anyone on this one.
“My expectation for her is to pull through the first round, maybe getting into the semi-finals,” said Muringani.
Online Reporter