Sizzling affair as local athletes battle for Russia

Sports Reporter
LOCAL middle distance athletes bidding to qualify for the International Athletics Association World Track and Field Championships could use today’s meeting at the National Sports Stadium to try and book berths at the event in Russia. Already two athletes, Gabriel Mvumvure and Cephas Pasipamire, have qualified for the respective events at the championship set for August 10-18.
United States-based sprinter Mvumvure ran a sizzling 9.98s to qualify for the men’s 100m while Pasipamire stopped the clock in 2 hours 16 min 15seconds during the Pyongyang marathon in March this year.

The Harare Athletics Board are hosting today’s competition.
Silas Muringani, the HAB secretary, said this will be an open event, where various clubs and individuals from across the country have been invited.
“We are holding a track and field competition on Saturday at the National Sports Stadium where we hope to get some of the athletes qualifying for the World Championships in Russia.

“So far we have Mvumvure and Pasipamire who have made it and we hope to get at least other athletes from the middle distances.
“Athletes like Tapiwa Chikadaga from Black Rhinos, Elijah Mabhunu and Jonathan Chinyoka from the Zimbabwe Prison Services stand a good chance of qualifying from the 10 000m.

“We have set it as the first event, early in the morning when the temperatures are still low,” said Muringani.
Muringani said the selectors were also using today’s meeting to identify a provisional team for the African Junior Championship in Mauritius.
“A team for the Under-20s needs to be put in place for the AJC on August 27.

“We still have August 4 to select a team but we need to take advantage of the recent closure by the schools.
“Some of the athletes were at boarding schools and they have time on their hands for now,” said Muringani.
Harare Province, Muringani said, will also use today’s competition to select a team for the National Youth Games in Bulawayo.
“This is going to be the last track and field event on the Harare calendar and we hope it will be exciting,” said Muringani.