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Ellina Mhlanga
Zimpapers Sports Hub
THE National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe has secured a partnership with Masai Sports manager, Charles Paanakker, to establish at least two marathon training centres in the country.
NAAZ president Tendayi Tagara revealed the partnership, which is also aimed at creating opportunities for distance runners, will run over r four years.
Paanakker works with World Athletics registered agent, Frans Denissen, of Masai Sports based in Netherlands.
“The National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe has secured a partnership with Charles Paanakker, who works with Frans Denissen of Masai Sports based in Netherlands.
“He is a World Athletics registered agent.Paanakker jetted into Zimbabwe on October 24 and we had a meeting on October 25 in Gweru.
“The agreement looks at the establishment of a marathon training centre in Harare and high-altitude centre in Nyanga,” said Tagara.
The partnership also includes the welfare of athletes and finding races for athletes in Europe.
The first step will see the athletics mother body assigning between four to six athletes with potential to qualify for World Championships and the next Olympics.
“Our first step is to assign four to six athletes with potential to qualify for World Championships and Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
“The package will include the welfare of athletes, organising races in Europe, welfare of coach and kitting.
“The association will also look at funding of air tickets and part of the local camping expenses. Tendayi Zimuto has already been assigned to the project.
“We are guaranteed of a route for our top marathoners because Europe has fast courses and these managers will negotiate for the athletes’ packages to big sponsors and race organisers, even to kit sponsors,” said Tagara.
Some of the athletes managed by Paanakker include Kenya’s Naom Jebet, who won the Porto Marathon over the weekend.
Besides Isaac Mpofu, who has over the last years made great strides competing at World Championships and making his Olympic debut at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Zimuto is one of the hopefuls to qualify for next year’s World Championships to run from September 13 to 21 in Tokyo, Japan.
The likes of Moses Tarakinyu and Rutendo Nyahora have shown interest towards chasing qualification to next year’s championships.
However, the selection will depend on the performance of the athletes, taking into consideration their times.
The qualifying window for marathon to next year’s World Championships closes on May 4, 2025.
The national association has made it clear they would want to have more athletes making the grade for such major competitions as the World Championships and the Olympics.
And one of the events that has been consistent is marathon.
For the previous championships, Zimbabwe had three marathon runners – two males and one female.
Online Reporter