Chronicle Editor
Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
UNIVERSITY of Zimbabwe athlete, Miegury Kwenda, equalled the Zimbabwe high jump record of 2.16 metres held by former Hwange athlete Juma Phiri at the weekend.
This is contrary to widespread reports that Kwenda was the new Zimbabwe national high jump record holder.
Harare Athletics Board chairman Sebastian Garikai told Chronicle Sport yesterday that Kwenda had cleared 2.16 metres and they were now awaiting verification by the records committee.
“They (the records committee) have to check conditions during the event before we go public,” said Garikai, sentiments also expressed by National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe (Naaz) president Tendai Tagara.
However, a check by Chronicle Sport showed that in June 1999, Phiri, who was representing Hwange Athletics Club, broke his own record to set a national record of 2.16 metres during a competition in Harare a week after breaking Ralph Dube’s decade old record of 2.10m.
Phiri broke Dube’s record to set a high jump record of 2.15m during an athletics meet at the Colliery Stadium to qualify for the 1999 All-Africa Games in South Africa.
He then went on to break his own record to set a new one of 2.16m at the Harare Meet.
Meanwhile, the selection of athletes for the forthcoming Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) track and field event set for Côte d’Ivoire next month has been marred by controversy after Nketa High School’s Faith Nyathi, who ran 5 000m in 15.48 minutes was not drafted into the provisional squad.
“We have athletes who ran the same race in over 17 minutes, but were drafted into the provisional squad. This is why as a country we always perform poorly in international competitions because we would have selected undeserving, but well connected runners,” said a concerned observer.
Nyathi will be in action today at White City Stadium during the inter-district track and field competitions.
Online Reporter