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THE National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe will stage a national track and field championship at White City Stadium in Bulawayo at the weekend. The chairman of the Bulawayo Athletics Board, Manuel Mpofu confirmed the event. He said it would be used as a selection event for the athletes who will represent Zimbabwe at regional and international competitions.
Athletes to be selected will represent Zimbabwe in the African Youth Games set for May in Botswana, the Naijing Youth Olympics scheduled for China in August and Region Five Games which Bulawayo will play host to.
Mpofu said everything was almost in place for the event and Bulawayo athletics enthusiasts should brace themselves for a treat as the City of Kings hosts the crème dela crème in both track and field events as they battle for slots in the country’s representative teams.
“Preparations are at an advanced stage for team selections. People of Bulawayo will enjoy this day as all the country’s provinces will bring their best athletes,” he said.
Organisers chose White City for the athletics meeting due to its proximity to sport lovers and costs less than the initial venue, the National University of Science and Technology, which has a state-of-the-art tartan track.
The event is also open to independent athletes and there are no prizes.
The championships that target both senior and junior athletes will also come in handy for schools ahead of the National Association of Primary School Heads and the National Association of Secondary School Heads finals set for next month.
The event will comprise five age-groups namely Under-14s, 16s, 18s, 20s and seniors who will compete in the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 4x100m, 4x400m relays and 1,500m.
Qualifiers for the ZITF Coke Four-Minute-Mile competition will also be held during the championships.
According to Mpofu there would be no hurdles. Usually at such competitions athletes take part in the 110 and 400m events of the sport.
On the field, athletes will battle it out in long and triple jumps, javelin, discus and shot put. High jump is still to be confirmed which is subject to the availability of a mattress.
Renowned Bulawayo athlete, Sparrows’ Yvonne Vanhuvaone, will be among the athletes to watch.
Vanhuvaone, a 200m and 400m specialist was part of last year’s COSSASSA squad that went to Namibia. She has also represented the country in a number of countries which include Ukraine and Botswana.
Ironically, Bulawayo was the venue for last year’s event which was well-attended and Mpofu said it was his hope that this year it would be even better.
“We had a successful competition last year. Athletes and supporters came in their numbers and we hope this time around we will have an even better event,” he said.
Meanwhile sprinter Nigel Tom is ready to bounce back to action after almost a year on the sidelines because of injury.
The 23-year-old 400m specialist who boasts a personal best of 47.01 seconds has been out of action since May.
The Bulawayo-based sprinter once represented Zimbabwe at the Southern African Track and field Championships held in Botswana last year.
“I have been training well so far, I have recovered from the injury, I am now fit and ready, my wish is to make it to the squad that will be travelling to represent the country in the region,” said Tom.
Last year he scooped a bronze medal in the 4x400m relay and was fourth in the 400m.
Tom is unattached and is working on his own at the National University of Science and Technology tartan track.
Online Reporter