Online Reporter
TEMBA Ncube, the former Hwange Athletics Club star sprinter, says Zimbabwe’s promising crop of athletes should now be a national project, the Government must take over.
Zimbabwe’s 4x400m relay team earned global acclaim this year when it defied all odds to qualify for the World Relays and next year’s World Championships. The quartet of Gerren Muwishi, Dennis Hove, Leeford “Monya” Zuze and Thandazani Ndhlovu did the nation proud by also setting two national records in succession in races held in Botswana last year at the World Relays, first improving from 3 minutes 00.79 seconds to 3 minutes 00.69 and ultimately 2 minutes 59.01 seconds in the semi-finals of the championships.
In the final in which they finished fifth, the Zimbabwe team clocked 2 minutes 59.75 seconds. These are part time athletes who are not sponsored who have to make ends meet before finding their way to training and competitions.
He believes in their quality and says more is still to come.
This is not coming from an ordinary man, but one of the most decorated athletes of the yesteryear era who has some silverware in his display cabinet that some can only dream of.
Ncube was part of the bronze medal 4x400m relay winning team in Abuja, Nigeria. Before the end of that year he was in the Zimbabwe team that finished third for the bronze medal in India in the Afro-Asia Games.
But his best times as a Zimbabwe athlete would be the gold medal feat in the Africa Senior Championships of 2004 in Brazzaville, Congo.
Ncube who also holds the 4×100 and 4x400m relay records with his Hwange Colliery in the Chamber of Mines Track and Field Championships and had a best time of 21.10 seconds in the 200m recorded at Torwood Stadium in the Midlands and 45.90 on 16 April, 2005, says he is happy that the sport is back on its feet.
“You know when we conquered Africa, athletics was very competitive with regular competitions among the mines. They hosted competitions and we were in the groove all the time when the season was on. It was a great feeling going to the African Games and winning bronze and repeating the same feat in India, the same year alongside Jeffrey Wilson, Chrispen Mutakanyi and Talkmore Nyongani.
“I am happy to see what these boys have achieved. Athletics is getting back on its feet, it may be different to our times when we had several national competitions with mines hosting events but from what I have seen of the times the boys are doing, there is somewhere to build on. We have the potential to do even better,” said Ncube.
Ncube says the boys must become a national project so that resources are availed to ensure they stay at the top of their game through exposure and taking care of their welfare.
“It is time the boys were declared a national project and they get funding so that they are not short on competition and exposure. Athletics must be their fulltime occupation,” said Ncube.
He said he was touched to see footage of where Ndhlovu trains. Ndhlovu was part of the 4x400m relay team that won gold at the just ended African Senior Athletics Championships.
Ndhlovu warmed himself up to Zimbabweans by running the second fastest flat 400m of 44.71 seconds, 0.13 seconds off Lewis Banda’s 2004 record of 44.58.
Ndlovu’s 43.92 seconds split time in the 4x400m relay final leg in the semi-finals is the best time ever by a Zimbabwean and he now boasts the 300m record of 32.06 seconds.
“Looking at what these boys are achieving and contrast with their training facilities, they do not have any attention paid to their nutritional needs, its pure natural talent at work. Can you imagine if we up the bar and we get them to train in the gym, eat proper food, get exposure and good habits, the boys will go far.
Winning gold Ncube says it is the dream of every athlete.
“Athletes enter the track to break records or win gold, if you achieve both it is a bonus. I remember returning from Congo with a gold medal. It meant a lot to me, my club, family and country. I was over the moon and I was the only locally based athlete of that team,” said Ncube.
His teammates were Talkmore Nyongani who was based in Senegal, Banda in the United States of America and Zvasiya who was coming from Germany.
“I was motivated to run with them because I was on fire in local competitions and we did well to win gold in 3 minutes 02 seconds. But for these boys to twice break the national record coming from the local scene, it is something to celebrate and time to revive the allure of old that was led by mines’ activities and I am happy my own town club is reviving athletics and something is happening too in nearby Victoria Falls.
“The more clubs and activities locally, we will unearth a lot of hidden gems. The talent from my time to this 4x400m relay team can be blamed on diminished athletics activity in the mines and nationally, but the vibe has been thrown back by these boys,” said Ncube.
Ncube has challenged mines to revive athletics and contribute to the sport’s growth. Mines bring sponsorship, quality and quantity which is needed for any sport to prosper locally.
