Online Reporter
Ellina Mhlanga, Zimpapers Sports Hub
WITH the World Athletics Relays drawing closer, National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe stepped up their efforts with the senior men 4x400m and 4x100m teams competing at the Lefika International Relays Challenge in Francistown, Botswana over the weekend.
The meet attracted teams from Lesotho, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and hosts, Botswana.
This year’s edition of the World Relays will take place on May 10 and 11 in Guangzhou, China.
The programme for the relays comprises of men’s and women’s 4x100m and 4x400m, and the mixed 4x400m.
Thirty-two teams will be entered for each of the events.
NAAZ director of coaching, talent identification and development Lisimati Phakamile said they had encouraging performances in the 4x400m and they need to step up in the 4x100m.
The 4x400m team came first with a time of 3 minutes 03.39 seconds while the 4x100m team came second in 40 seconds.
“Remember we are in the process of trying to qualify for the World Relays.
“As part of our preparations we attended the Lefika International Relays Challenge in Francistown, Botswana.
“We had Lesotho, Botswana and Mozambique as the teams that came in to compete. It was only the relays.
“Of particular interest now is our performance in the 4x400m, we managed to come first in our event in a time of 3 minutes 03.39 seconds.
“That time now, it ranks us 28th out of 32. It means we are still within the qualifying frame for the 4x400m in the World Relays because they are picking 32 teams.
“And with that time, World Athletics immediately ranked us 28 of which it’s not a bad start for starters. This was our first race,” said Phakamile.
They return to Botswana in two weeks’ time for the Botswana Grand Prix on April 12, in Gaborone.
It will be their last qualifying event as the qualification window closes on April 13.
“In a fortnight we will be probably going back to Botswana to try and improve that performance and also the ranking.
The 4x400m team comprised of Gerren Muwishi, Aldrin Tafa, Dennis Hove and Leeford Zuze.
Ngoni Makusha, Delroy Reppoh, Hove and Elvis Mukuchura made up the 4x100m team.
“The 4x100m came second in their event in a time of 40 seconds, which I want to say was slightly slow.
“To be honest it was slow. Our time as a nation we are at 38 seconds, so we were two seconds behind. We are working on that.
“We are taking the boys back to the drawing board. We are going to be training at the (National Sports Stadium) B Arena after the boys recover, beginning of the week,” said Phakamile.
NAAZ are looking at fielding both men and women’s teams at the Botswana Grand Prix.
The top 16 teams in each discipline from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games are qualified for entry to the upcoming World Relays and the host country may enter one team in each event regardless of any entry conditions.
The remaining slots are then determined by top lists in the qualification period from January 1, 2024 to April 13, 2025.
The top 14 teams in each of the disciplines — men’s and women’s 4x100m and 4x400m, and the mixed 4x400m at the World Relays will automatically qualify for places at the World Championships to take place from September 13 to 21 in Tokyo, Japan.
