Online Reporter
Ellina Mhlanga
Zimpapers Sports Hub
WITH the World Athletics Under-20 Championships around the corner, Zimbabwe are looking at fielding nine athletes at the meet that will run from August 5 to 9 in Eugene, Oregon, in the United States.
The nine athletes are expected to take part in the men’s 4x400m and 4x400m mixed relays, 400m and high jump.
Seasoned coach Aaron Whyte will take charge of the team and has been working with the bulk of the athletes in Harare.
Bindura-based Anesu Nyahuma, who is one of the female athletes that will be part of the mixed relay team was expected in Harare yesterday to join the other athletes.
The other female athlete is Nataly Shoko.
Besides relays, the team also has 400m runner Ropafadzo Mzondo and Tatenda Chindowa, who is set to participate in high jump.
“So, for the relays, we have got two ladies. That’s Anesu Nyahuma and Nataly Shoko for the mixed.
“And then for the gentlemen for both the 4x400m and the mixed relay, we have got Ropafadzo Mzondo, who is also doing the flat 400 and probably 200 depending on the quota system.
“And then we have got Gift Khumalo, Nenyasha Chihora, Malachi Mafunga, Emmanuel Uriga, Alvin Simon. And then Tatenda Chindowa,” said Whyte.
They are currently waiting for the visas.
Trey Chimunya, who made the cut for 100m will not be part of the team after he was denied a visa.
Whyte said it is a huge blow for the team, as they would have wanted to have more athletes for the individual events.
“He was part of the team, but unfortunately, he went for a different visa interview, which he didn’t get.
“It’s a huge blow, not only to the athletics team, but to the nation because we were expecting a lot from him.
“We would have wanted him to go and compete in Oregon. But, as it is right now, there isn’t much that we can say or do about it.
“Yes, it is a huge blow to the rest of the team,” said Whyte.
Mzondo and Chindowa surpassed the entry standards in the first quarter of the year to secure their slots while the national association was also working on the relays.
And will utilise their slots in the men’s 4x400m and 4x400m mixed relay events.
The relays have become one of the areas of interest for NAAZ as there have been some positive performances from the senior level.
“For the relays, they allow one relay team per country, per event. So, we are using our slot for that.
“I think as you may have noticed with other teams, like our senior men relay team, I think 4x400m is slowly becoming our area. And we have been doing well in that area.
“And we are expecting these youngsters to just follow in the footsteps of the senior boys.”
The idea is to also try and push in the female’s section by having the 4x400m mixed relay team.
“It’s a strategy that we have. We don’t have as many girls who have been very competitive at that level.
“But we realise that if we are going to take this step, instead of just focusing on the boys, we also want the girls to be involved.
“And we realise that the first step that we can take is to take a mixed relay team . . . We started this in Mauritius with a mixed relay team, which did very well.
“So, we are just building on from what we did in Mauritius going forward,” said Whyte.
The Under-20 4x400m mixed relay team picked gold at the Southern African Confederation of Athletics (SACA) Under-18 and Under-20 Championships staged in Mauritius in June.
The team consisted of Shoko, Nyahuma, Chihora and Uriga.
Team
Anesu Nyahuma, Nataly Shoko, Ropafadzo Mzondo, Gift Khumalo, Nenyasha Chihora, Malachi Mafunga, Emmanuel Uriga, Alvin Simon, Tatenda Chindowa.
