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Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent
FOR most rural athletes, proper facilities and grooming are a hindrance to achieving their dreams of competing among the best in athletics in the world.
Despite the challenges of being in a rural set up, a group of athletics coaches, who are also school teachers, have come together to form a club which they hope will nurture talent in the Matobo district.
Maphisa Athletics Club was formed out of the realisation there was immense talent in the area but lack of co-ordinated efforts to harness the talent and bring it out to the fore. Head coach and club secretary, Raven Takura, said there were a lot of pupils showing potential during inter-schools competition.
He said a large pool of teachers with an interest in athletics decided to come together and come up with a body that would enable young athletes to compete countrywide. One of their finds, Elizabeth Ndlovu (16) of Tjewondo Secondary School is already making a name for herself in the junior cross-country field as she is the reigning junior champion in the 6km race.
She won the race last year and managed to defend it this year at the national cross country championships that were held in Kwekwe last month, reaching the finish line in 25 minutes 08.12 seconds and in the process she set a new record as she eclipsed last year’s record of 26 minutes 04 seconds she set last year.
Takura said Ndlovu is one of the budding lights that have managed to be selected for national duty alongside Langathani Dube, who both represented the country in South Africa at the Under 18-20 Southern Region Youth and Junior Championships last April.
At the event, Ndlovu managed to make it to third place in the 1 500m race while Dube was sixth in the 3 000m event.
They again represented the country at the Confederation of School Sports Associations of Southern Africa (Cossasa) competition in April in Botswana. Ndlovu was also outstanding in the Naaz inter-provincial competitions held in May last year were she scooped the 1 500m and 3 000m titles.
Takura said prospects of competing beyond school events within the school system was remote hence the decision to form an athletics club.
Teachers from the district that came together to form the club that began operating in 2016 but was only registered last year include Takura, who holds a IAAF CECS Level 2 jumps Specialist coaching certificate, Zibonele Dube (Sontala Secondary), Muziwakhe Ndlovu (Zamanyoni Secondary), Tachiona Isheanesu (Donkwe Donkwe Seconday) and Xolile Ngwenya (Fort Usher), who all hold National Level 2 coaching badges.
National Association of Secondary School Heads Matabeleland South treasurer, Norcan Nyamambi is part of the club’s committee as an advisor.
Other athletes that have shown a lot of promise from the district include Tildah Ndebele who took bronze in the 400m under 16 girls national NASH competition last year, Prince Dube (under 15) in the long jump and high jump and Sithembinkosi ndlovu (under 15 this year) in the 1500m and 3000m.
Takura said with technical expertise in place they are hoping to attract funding to enable them to travel to various competitions while also seeking assistance to upgrade facilities to enable students to train well.
“We struggle to raise funds for transport if we are not attending school events but because of our commitment we use our own funds.
We hope to engage potential partners as there are a lot of youngsters that can emerge from the district,” he said.
Online Reporter