Provincial Cross-Country Championships on cards

AN intriguing race is on the cards when the Harare team faces a stiff challenge from the hosts Midlands at the Inter-Provincial Cross-Country Championships at Allan Lowry Golf Club tomorrow, writes Augustine Hwata.
The long-striding Kevin Pangiso leads the Harare team that also has the ever-improving Jonathan Chinyoka, Gilbert Mutandiro, Point Chaza and Millen Matende in their squad.
Pangiso won the senior men’s 12km event last year and is back to defend his title.
Last week, Pangiso stopped the clock first at the Harare Athletics Board’s season opener at Prince Edward to send some warning shots to his rivals in cross-country.
The Harare Athletics Board team has won the inter-provincial cross-country championships for the past five years and will be gunning for a sixth straight title.
But Harare’s title aspirations will come under check from the Midlands team that is likely to have Kudakwashe Shoko and Wirimai Juwawo.
The duo is a tried-and-tested pair while the Midlands team could also field veteran Luwis Masunda and the lanky Elmore Sibanda. The Midlands quartet has in the past done well in road races and they have the potential to upset the defending champions. The HAB team also boasts of the some of the leading athletes in the senior women’s category with Constance Nyasango, Faith Nyasango, Alicen Manake also in the team.
The Nyasangos will be the athletes to beat in the senior women’s 8km race.
Olivia Chitate, Sharon Chinokuya and Fearthermore Chiriseri could also help the Harare women’s team. But the Harare junior women’s side will have a mountain to climb if they are to upset Zimbabwe’s gold medal winner at the Swaziland Zone Six Games, Thandiwe Nyathi of Matabeleland South.
Pamela Kusumba and Pamela Gwebu are also expected in Redcliff for the junior girls’ 6km run. The junior boys will battle over an 8km stretch with Harare’s Hosea Goredema set to start as the favourite.
National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe secretary David Leboho is expecting tight contests as the athletes battle for places into the national team.
“We are holding the inter-provincial cross-country championships on Sunday at Allan Lowry.
“All provinces should be coming for the event. “It’s a selection event for the Southern Region Cross Country and the World Cross Country Championship,” said Leboho.
Each province is expected to field eight athletes for each category but only the first six will score points for the team.