Online Reporter
Lovemore Dube, Zimpapers Sports Hub
THE National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe (Naaz) has put its cards on the table early, rolling out a demanding, wide ranging programme designed to give locally based athletes real competition and a clear pathway towards the 2027 All Africa Games and the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
In a calendar released on Tuesday, Naaz said: “These competitions provide elite athletes with exposure, benchmarking and integration into the international competitive calendar.”
The plan is rooted in urgency as much as ambition. Driven by passion, pride and a clear push for progress, Naaz wants 2026 to be a year in which Zimbabwe is visible, present and competitive on the biggest stages.
Among the major global events targeted for Zimbabwean athletes are the World Indoor Championships in Torun, Poland, the Florida Relays and the World Relays to be hosted by Botswana in March.
“We will take part in regional competitions in line with our quest to strengthen Africa’s Regional Athletics Ecosystem and we will also be hosting, participating in and aligning with events across Southern Africa and beyond,” said Naaz in a statement.
That regional focus sits alongside Zimbabwe’s continued support for the growth of athletics across the continent and the strengthening of cross-border sporting collaboration.
The released calendar also places strong emphasis on provincial activity, with several events designed to draw mass participation and push athletics beyond traditional elite centres.
Naaz wants competitions that stretch into communities nationwide, widening the base of the sport while sharpening the competitive edge.
“The 2026 calendar reflects Zimbabwe’s commitment to developing athletes holistically and integrating our programmes with the global athletics system,” said Naaz. Youth development remains central to that vision.
“Our focus is on building depth, transparency and international competitiveness from youth level upwards.”
That approach includes sustained investment in coaching education, with several courses scheduled throughout the year. In recent seasons, a significant number of participants have been teachers, strengthening the link between schools and the national athletics pipeline.
Naaz president Tendai Tagara wants Zimbabwe represented at the World Relays in Botswana in March. He believes the American-based athletes can qualify for the 4x100m relay, while locally based runners focus on the 4x400m after securing qualification last year.
Tagara is confident that Brian Dzingai can assemble a competitive squad capable of qualifying for the prestigious event, a view endorsed by top sprinter Tapiwanashe Makarawu.
The 200m national record holder believes in Denzil Siamusalela, David Nyamufarira, Takudzwa Chiyangwa, Makanaishe Charamba and Clifton Muunga, insisting Zimbabwe has a team capable of qualifying and even pushing for a podium finish.
Makarawu and Charamba have already tested themselves against the world’s elite, reaching the final nine at both the World Championships and the Paris Olympics in 2024.
Zimbabwean athletes will be in action again this weekend at the World Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee in the United States of America. On the domestic front, the first track and field meeting of the year will be hosted by the Harare Athletics Board at the University of Zimbabwe track this weekend.
The event is expected to shake off early-season rust as preparations begin to gather pace ahead of national team selections, including for the World Junior Championships.
Harare will also host a walking competition on Sunday, while the Mashonaland West season opens with a track and field meeting on January 24.
A day later, attention shifts to the Dr Oliver Mtukudzi Memorial Half-Marathon in Norton.
Cross country runners and emerging road athletes will return to Bindura University for the institution’s annual cross country race. The venue hosted the qualifiers for this weekend’s World Championships in mid-November last year. Bulawayo’s season opens on February 7 at White City Stadium.
With more than two dozen track and field events scheduled nationwide, alongside a similar number of road races, athletes have a full season to shape themselves for 2027 and 2028, years that will carry both the All Africa Games and the Olympic Games.
Events will run through to December.
