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Sports Reporter
NATIONAL Athletics Association of Zimbabwe is confident that their representatives to the World Championships in Hungary later this month will secure better times and get a chance to market themselves.
The Championships will run from August 19 to 27. The association is sending a delegation of four athletes to the event — marathon runners Isaac Mpofu, Ngonidzashe Ncube, Fortunate Chidzivo and sprinter Tapiwanashe Makarawu.
NAAZ coaches Lisimati Phakamile and Benson Chauke, who have been working with the runners in camp, will accompany the team.
NAAZ president Tendayi Tagara said they have a strong delegation that is expected to fare well at the global meet.
“We are happy that we are not sending just representatives but battle-hardened competitors. Isaac Mpofu qualified by time. Ngoni Ncube and Fortunate Chidzivo qualified by global ranking.
“We are happy we are not sending athletes by wild cards/universal slots or a representative. These are going by merit of set standards.
“We have three major objectives in Budapest which is to participate and leave a mark by performance for better times. An opportunity for the players to market themselves in order to get better sponsorship and better managers that open avenues for big races that lucrative money, that’s joining the big league for big boys like top Kenyans and Ethiopians.
“Ngoni and Fortunate are still chasing the Olympic qualifier,” said Tagara.
Mpofu was the first Zimbabwean to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games when he clocked 2 hours 6 minutes 48 seconds in December last year at the Valencia Marathon. The time was within the qualifying standard set by World Athletics.
Chidzivo and Ncube qualified in June on ranking performance which is determined by various countries’ performances in the event.
The athletes are scheduled to leave on August 22 with United States-based sprinter Makarawu set to connect to Europe on the 17th.
“Our marathon runners are the last to leave on the 22nd because marathoners naturally do not like to stay long in unfamiliar weather conditions hence prefer to get in, do business and come back.
“As NAAZ we believe in the team that we have. Yes, it might be a smaller contingent than what we would have hoped but what is more important is that we have a competitive bunch that will no doubt fly the Zimbabwean flag high.
“We also believe that these athletes deserve the support of the entire nation as these Championships are the World Cup of athletics,” said Tagara.
Online Reporter