Online Reporter
Innocent Kurira, [email protected]
ZIMBABWE’S athletics season takes its first real pulse at White City Stadium later this month when the Naaz Inter Club Championships bring together athletes, coaches and selectors for an early gauge of form ahead of a busy year.
Clubs from across the country are expected in Bulawayo on February 28 for a meet that has grown into a key checkpoint on the domestic calendar. What began as a platform to give athletes regular competition is now viewed as an early indicator of who is ready to push for national honours.
The programme features the events that often set the tone for the months ahead. Sprinters line up in the 100m, 200m and 400m while hurdlers take on the short and long races over the barriers. Middle and long distance runners contest the 800m, 1 500m, 3 000m and 5 000m with relay teams adding intensity in the 4x100m and 4x400m.
The distance races carry extra significance as they also serve as qualifiers for the ZITF Coca-Cola Four-Minute Mile Challenge, giving runners an early target and lifting the level of competition.
Field events include long jump, triple jump and high jump alongside javelin, shot put and discus, offering a full spread across disciplines as athletes look to build early momentum.
Bulawayo Athletics Board chairperson Watson Madanyika said the meet has become an important step in the sport’s development pathway.
“We are looking forward to a well organised and competitive event,” said Madanyika. “These championships give clubs a chance to measure their progress and allow coaches and selectors to see where athletes stand at this stage of the season.”
He said strong participation remains vital if the sport is to continue producing athletes capable of competing on bigger stages later in the year.
“We encourage all clubs to take part fully. Regular competition at this level lays the foundation for success nationally and beyond,” he said.
Entry fees are set at US$3 per event per athlete and US$6 per relay team, with organisers expecting a solid turnout as clubs begin mapping their competitive year.
Beyond medals and early bragging rights, the championships often reveal emerging names and shifting pecking orders, especially in the sprint and middle-distance races where competition for national places is tight.
With the season still in its early weeks, performances in Bulawayo will not define the year but they will offer a clear first look at who is ready to move from promise into contention.
