Chronicle Editor
Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
THE National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe (Naaz) remains optimistic that the country’s Olympic hopefuls will be ready to take part in qualifying competitions between March and April if lockdown restrictions are lifted at the end of this month.
Naaz director of coaching, talent identification and development Lisimati Phakamile said despite the recently imposed ban on all sporting activities, all hope was not lost for those hoping to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.
“The month of January was heavy for us in terms of preparations, but sadly everything has been placed on hold. On the national calendar we had the provincial cross-country championships, but that too has been shelved. We had earmarked a number of competitions, especially for March and April where we expected our athletes to participate,” said Phakamile.
“We are hoping that the virus is contained within this month because if we can resume full training at the end of this month, we should be ready to compete in March and April,” he said.
He added that they had given athletes training programmes to follow from their homes.
“We have a very big challenge looking at the fact that sporting activities have been placed on hold. Of course, we have prepared individual training programmes for our athletes which we hope they will follow from their bases. We are hoping the guys will continue to work hard so that their form will not dip.”
Naaz had earmarked Ngonidzashe Ncube, Isaac Mpofu, Ethel Sibanda, Munyaradzi Jari, Rutendo Nyahora, Fortunate Chidzivo and Ethel Sibanda for the marathon qualifiers.
Misheck Sithole, Faith Sanyika, Olivia Chitate, Elijah Mabhunu, Canicious Wenjere, Winfred Mutiro, Abel Chibanda and Tryphina Picardo, who were part of a training camp in Vumba last month, are also in line to make the grade for the rescheduled games.
The qualifying time for men is 2 hours 11minutes and 30 seconds, while for women it’s 2 hours 29 minutes and 30 seconds.
Organisers of the Tokyo Olympics have indicated that the games will go ahead in July, even as Japan contends with a surge in coronavirus cases. — @innocenskizoe
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