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Nkosilathi Sibanda recently in Botswana
YOUNG athlete Enlita Ncube will represent Zimbabwe in the World Junior Track and Field Championships in the US in June. She qualified at last week’s Confederation of Schools Sport Association in Southern Africa (Cossasa) Games held in Botswana. Ncube hit the finishing line in four minutes 09 seconds, easily beating the required time of four minutes 28 seconds to qualify for her biggest competition so far where she will run the 1,500m.
This was no mean achievement for the 16-year-old Ncube.
The World Junior Championships are the biggest track and field competition for upcoming athletes under the International Athletics Associations Federation (IAAF).
A Form Three pupil at Msilahobe Secondary School in Silobela, Ncube was one of the few notable athletes that fared well for Zimbabwe in the Botswana competition.
She joins a long list of athletes which include Samukeliso Moyo, Margaret Mahohoma, Nokuthula Munkuli, Busi Nyoni and Singazi Dube who have emerged from rural areas.
“If you check the records in the past years, most athletes that have represented Zimbabwe in long distance competitions were raised in rural areas.
“It is not usual for these athletes to come from the city set up,” said Phakamile Lisimati, Team Zimbabwe coach in most competitions.
The young athlete from Msilahobe said it came as a surprise.
“I did not know that there is anything like that. I was only told by my coach to make sure that I run the race under four minutes if possible. Honestly I am still overwhelmed.
“As I finished the race I saw my coaches rising in celebration and I thought it was the usual thing since I had won gold.
“I never knew that this will open an opportunity to represent my country on the international stage,” she said in an interview yesterday morning.
Ncube said her aim was now to impress at the world stage in order to participate at the Olympics.
“I have seen and heard about the Olympic Games. That is where I want to go. I want to do it now while I am young and I hope my coaches will assist me achieve the dream,” she said.
Ncube was coached by Phakamile Lisimati, Vusumuzi Mlilo and Brian Nhubu.
These are some of the coaches that have been at the core of grassroots athletics development in recent years following in the footsteps of Bhekuzulu Khumalo, Benson Chauke, Kenny Nyape and James Rugwevera.
Enias Nhoro, the vice-president of the National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe (NAAZ), said Ncube’s qualification for the World Junior Championships is testimony that the future of Zimbabwe athletics is bright.
“She did very well for the country. This shows where our athletics is headed. The future looks bright and indeed we are yet to see more of such achievements. If we do more in grooming our athletes at a tender age, I’m sure we are going to be a force to reckon with in world athletics.
“We have always told these youngsters to set records in every competition. Enlita (Ncube) did that. We are proud,” said Nhoro.
Online Reporter