Chronicle Editor
Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
THE repaired White City Stadium athletics electronic timing system will be officially tested in the Naph and Nash inter-provincial tournaments at Peterhouse Boys School in Marondera from March 24-27.
The electronic timing system had been dysfunctional after limited use since its installation for the 2014 African Union Sports Council Region 5 Youth Games in the city.
Some antennas used to detect a false start and the link between the video wall and computer malfunctioned and the machine remained unrepaired for about five years.
The National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe (Naaz) only flew in Belgian engineer Eddie Vanyutven, whose company TimeTronics installed the system in 2014, to repair the system last week.
Vanyutven also trained six local athletics officials how to operate and maintain the system.
“We are pleased that the machine is now up. It will be fully used for the JM Busha 54 Races/Naaz inter-provincial track and field finals at White City Stadium in June. The machine is likely to be used for schools’ athletics national meets in Mashonaland East,” said Bulawayo Athletics Board chairperson Manuel Mpofu. Naaz is eager for athletes going to the World Junior Championships in Kenya to start training using the electronic timing system, so that their actual times are captured compared to present manually recorded times.
The system is also expected to assist schools and tertiary institution athletes looking for scholarships abroad, as it will enable them to submit electronically printed times required at that level. – @innocentskizoe
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