admin
Ellina Mhlanga Senior Sports Reporter
NATIONAL Athletics Association of Zimbabwe are looking at promoting field events with a new initiative that will see them holding the National Field Events Championships this month in Harare.
The event is set for November 12 at the National Sports Stadium B Arena and is targeting athletes from Under-12 to seniors.
Participants will take part in high jump, triple jump, long jump, shot put, discus and javelin.
National head coach field events, Aaron Whyte said they want to create data base for the athletes as they prepare for next year’s competitions.
“What we are trying to do is, we want to come up with national data base for all our field events. So we would like to range them from Under-12, all the way to seniors because we have got major competitions coming up, especially next year.
“We have got some major competitions coming up, we have got African Games coming up and then we have got Southern Region Championships, we have got Region Five Games for the juniors and we have got Youth Olympics coming up (in 2026).
“So what we want to do is we want to create the data base of our athletes and then start tracking them and monitoring their development and progress,” said Whyte.
Registration closed this Friday and so far over 100 athletes have registered to participate at the event.
However, Whyte said they will allow for some athletes to register on the day of the competition.
He said they want to create awareness on field events, which are usually overshadowed by track events.
“Mostly when we are doing track events, you hardly have spectators watching field events. Mostly the focus is on track and all, and usually when you have track events, field events don’t get much attention.
“So what we want to do is we want to create that awareness. We want people to know that we have got field events athletes who actually excel most of the time when we go out to major competitions. So there is more of that awareness that we want to create as well,” Whyte said.
NAAZ president Tendayi Tagara said depending on the response they get, the national association would want to have a similar event again next year.
“It’s a new initiative where we are trying to promote field events so that athletes can also focus on field events. Triple jump and long jump, have been doing well and athletes have been getting scholarships. So we are trying to see whether we can spread that interest to throws as well.
“If we look at our juniors they do well in throws at junior level but that is not being replicated at senior level. So if we give them their own platform it’s an advantage, although it has come in the middle of examinations. If there is interest we will have another one around March/April and see if we can have some juniors qualify for the World Under-20 Championships,” said Tagara.
Some of the major meets due to take place next year include the African Games, Africa Senior Championships, Paris 2024 Olympic Games, regional competitions such as the Southern Africa Region Senior and Junior Championships.
Meanwhile Zimbabwean runner, Tonny Skink competing under Maxed Elite club finished third at the African Bank Soweto Marathon yesterday in South Africa.
Skink crossed the finish line in 2hours 20minutes 15seconds. The race was won by South Africa’s Ntsindiso Mphakathi in 2hours 19minutes 13seconds, followed by Ethiopia’s Daba Ifa Debele in 2hours 19minutes 52seconds.
Online Reporter