adminEllina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
NINE athletes are expected to head for Mauritius early next week for the African Junior Championships starting from August 29 to September 1. The four-day event will see young athletes from across the continent fighting for honours in track and field events. The championships were originally scheduled for June in South Africa but were moved to Mauritius.
Zimbabwe will be sending six boys and three girls and they are scheduled to leave on August 26 soon after the National Youth Games currently underway in Bulawayo.
National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe president, Tendai Tagara, said they are sending more athletes for this year’s event after only sending two in 2011.
The athletes are participating in the ongoing National Youth Games.
“We are sending nine athletes for the junior championships and so far we have secured six tickets.
“They already have been in camp for the last two weeks with their provinces and they are now in Bulawayo for the Youth Games, which is an advantage, they will just leave Bulawayo to South Africa where they will connect to Mauritius.
“Last time we had two athletes of which one of them reached the semi-finals and this time around we are expecting a finalist.
“I am hoping for a medal from Sean Banda, he is based in the United States but he is here on holidays and he is one of the outstanding athletes,” said Tagara.
The NAAZ president said most of the athletes are Under-19s as they are also focusing on the World Junior championships to be held next year in the United States.
He said the numbers will enhance their chances of getting medals at the event.
“It enhances the chances of getting more medals but it’s not about the numbers it’s about the quality. Most of them are Under-19s, which means they still have one more year to go.
“Next year they will be Under-20 which is good exposure and experience for them for next year’s World Championships,” said Tagara.
Tagara said all the athletes in the team made the qualifying standard for the event and some of them competed in the World Youth Championships that were held in Ukraine in July.
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