adminEllina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
FOUR athletes left the country yesterday for the IAAF World Cross-country Championships in Kampala, Uganda, tomorrow.
Wellington Varevi and Rudo Mhonderwa lead the team, being the seniors, while Dumo Mkhwananzi and Dzidzai Gumede will run in the junior men and women’s section respectively.
Senior men and women compete in the 10km race while the junior men fight for honours in 8km and 6km for junior women.
Speaking just before their departure for the East African country yesterday, the four athletes expressed optimism with Varevi saying he is going for a personal best time.
“Being my first time to go to the world championships I want to thank God for everything. I want to thank my coaches and others like Jane Tsanga, Edgeton Tsanga, who helped me. This is something I wasn’t expecting but God made it possible for me.
“I am hoping to improve my time, that’s is my target but it depends with the course. I am hoping to run 29 minutes and below. It’s obvious it’s a big event but it will push me to improve on certain things and it’s an opportunity to learn since I want to compete in more international events,” said Varevi.
At the national championships he ran 31minutes 7.3seconds.
Of late the local athletics mother body was sending senior athletes only for this event but they have since started including juniors in a bid to offer more opportunities to promising athletes with the aim of increasing athletes that will qualify for 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
And 17-year-old Gumede, who is based in Buhera, could not hide her joy as she said her selection to represent the country has boosted her self-esteem.
“I am really excited because I wasn’t expecting it. I used to doubt myself but I now realise that anything is possible with hard work. So I am going to do my best,” said Gumede.
Online Reporter