NAAZ begins 2018 season preps

Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
OUTSTANDING youth athletes are set to meet in Harare this month for a three-day camp as the National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe shift their focus to next year’s competitions. Some of the major events they are looking at for 2018 include the Youth Olympic Games in Argentina, World Junior Championships in Finland and Africa Senior Championships in Nigeria.

Fourteen outstanding athletes in the just-ended season set to converge at Prince Edward School before the end of this month. NAAZ president, Tendai Tagara, said the camp is also open to coaches working with the young athletes. “Our focus for 2018 is the Youth Olympic Games, World Junior Championships and the Africa Senior Championships.

“For the Youth Olympic Games, the African Youth Games in Algeria is the only qualifying event. So we are bringing in 14 athletes. The 14 are the outstanding athletes and our target is 10 for the Games. But for this camp we are bringing in 14. The purpose is to give them the programme for October and November, what to do until they come for the big camp in December. We are inviting their coaches for them to know what to do when they are working with the athletes. Again we are inviting other coaches working with youths to come,” said Tagara.

This year Zimbabwe picked nine medals, including three gold at the Africa Junior Championships, with a team of 20 in Algeria and had one of their athletes reaching the 800m final at the World Youth in Kenya.