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Sports Reporter
NATIONAL Athletics Association of Zimbabwe director of coaching Lisimati Phakamile says they are ready for the upcoming season with most of their athletes already in training.
The local season is scheduled to get underway in the first week of January with Harare Athletic Board expected to hold their cross-country event at Morris Depot.
All provinces are expected to hold their provincial cross-country events next month, with the national competition penciled for February.
The athletics mother body is expecting a busy year in 2024 with several major competitions lined up including the African Games, Africa Senior Championships, World Athletics Under-20 Championships and Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
“The new season is coming up and as an association, and as coaches we have already started training in the pre-season period.
“Our athletes have been busy, some doing gym work, some doing the road runs, just building on the endurance and the general development of their fitness before they get into specific preparation and training towards their main events.
“We are expecting a number of athletes this time around to qualify. We have several major events that are coming up. We have the African Games, we have the Africa Senior Championships, we have the Olympics and many other track and field, and road races that are coming up.
“So, our season is actually packed with major competitions. So, we are expecting to get representation by athletes in those different categories and different competitions,” said Phakamile.
NAAZ are looking at staging more local competitions to prepare athletes for various major events. They have also included a number of new road races to their 2024 calendar. “We have already distributed our national calendar, and it has got a lot of local competitions that are coming up.
“And from those competitions we are expecting a very big pool of athletes to be competing, fighting for honours and fighting for positions to make the teams to qualify and to have an opportunity to represent their country, Zimbabwe,” Phakamile said.
With the association targeting improved numbers in terms of qualification to the different meets, local athletes will have to up their game to meet the qualifying standards. For the Olympics, only marathon runner Isaac Mpofu has secured his spot for the Paris Games so far.
“We have been looking at athletes, we have been running around the country, our athletes have been training at their different bases and stations, and it has been impressive. We are expecting quality performance this time around.
“We have also been in touch with the guys that are abroad, they are also busy preparing for their collegiate games and university games abroad.”
NAAZ are pinning their hopes on the likes of sprinters Tapiwa Makarawu, Tinotenda Matiyenga, triple jumper Chengetayi Mapaya, marathon runners Fortunate Chidzivo, Ngonidzashe Ncube and Rutendo Nyahora to try and qualify for the Olympics.
“We just concluded a very interesting and good competition year…this 2023 we had Isaac Mpofu representing us in the Marathon, in Valencia and in several competitions around the world.
“We also had our top sprinters travelling to Budapest (for World Athletics Championships), Makarawu breaking the 200m record, trying to knock on the door of the Olympics and it was actually successful and a very good year for the young athlete.
“We are hoping that he brings up the same performance, the same feat in the new season,” said Phakamile.
Online Reporter