NAAZ track, field event poorly attended

Dalphine Tagwireyi Sports Reporter
THE poorly attended 4th edition of the National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe track and field event was held yesterday at the country’s newly adopted home of athletics, White City Stadium, in Bulawayo.

The event was devoid of any meaningful patronage in terms of both attendance and athletes participation.

An official attributed the poor attendance to a clash of events as well as the recent hosting of Nash and Naph inter-schools competitions on Thursday and Friday.

BAB chairman Manuel Mpofu blamed the low turnout of athletes in the long distance races to the Southern Africa Region Cross-Country Championships which were held in Malawi yesterday.

“We expected a huge turnout but due to the clash of events, we had athletes who travelled out of Zimbabwe and most junior athletes are resting as they had inter-schools competitions on Thursday and Friday,” he said.

NAAZ national director of coaching and talent identification development Phakamile Lisimathi said they had only identified three athletes at the 3rd track and field event who will represent Zimbabwe in Mauritius at the second edition of the Africa Youth Championship in April.

“We will need 20 athletes and we only have selected three presently, however we will attend Nash events as we are hoping to secure more athletes though our challenge is on female athletes,” he said.

The three athletes who were selected for the Youth Championship are Enlitha Ncube, Wonder Walezani and Nyasha Sithole.

Results

U-13 girls 100m: Sibusisiwe Mathe 13.88 Linda Ncube 14.07 Chelse Maphosa 14.37

U-15 girls 100m: Sharlene Khasema 13.26 Nkosilathi Musiiwa 13.83 Candice Ndlovu 14.00

U-15 boys 100m: Brian Tagawira 12.41 Thamsanqa Ncube 13.21 Gamelihle Mthethwa 13.18

U-17 boys 100m: Guest Sinono 11.43 Ronald Ndlovu 11.79 Tapiwa Kushire 12.06

U-20 boys 100m: Tongai Chirevu 10.87 Collin Dube 11.07 Michael Kunhlande 11.24

Senior men: Itai Vambe 10.78 Ushe Shava 11.04 Tapiwa Pfavai 11.31

3000m U-13 boys: Saili Sinclair 13.67 Sibekithemba Ndlovu 13.81 Prince Sibanda 13.90

3000m U-15 boys Panashe Zakaria 12.03.21 Macebo Nyathi 13.33,30

3000m U-17 girls: Siduduzo Ncube 11.10.54

3000m U-20 girls: Thubelihle Mathwaya 13.15.45