Online Reporter
Ellina Mhlanga
Zimpapers Sports Hub
AS Zimbabwe take part at this year’s World Athletics Cross Country Championships, focus is not just on the results but also exposure for upcoming athletes.
Zimbabwe will be represented in seniors and juniors’ events at the championships to take place on Saturday in Tallahassee, Florida, United States.
Rising athletes Jackson Nyamazana and Tulange Mudenda are part of the seven-member team.
They join the seniors — Godwin Katakura, Caroline Mhandu, Wayne Kabondo, US-based Bradley Makuvire and Answer Tasara for this assignment.
Nyamazana is going for the junior men’s 8km and Mudenda will be up for the junior women’s 6km.
With the National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe pushing to make an impact in all events, director of coaching, talent identification and development Phakamile Lisimati believes this is a platform for the juniors to learn.
“For the juniors, we are just giving them an opportunity to feel the world stage, feel the challenge and try to motivate them and build their character towards cross-country running and competitive competitions. That is an international stage.
“We are not expecting much from them, but at least for them to run their PBs (personal best) at the cross-country, to finish their events and at least enjoy the competition.
“That’s what I am basically looking at from those kids.
“We wish they could run and get PBs or even a national record.”
The seniors will battle it out in 10km.
Katakura, Kabondo and Makuvire will compete in the men’s category while Mhandu and Tasara go for the senior women.
Kabondo left for the United States on Tuesday and the other members left yesterday.
Speaking before departure, Mhandu expressed his excitement at featuring on the global stage.
“I am really excited.
“I want to thank God for this opportunity,’’ he said.
“It was not an easy journey, during training I did my best. It was difficult, painful but determination kept me going.
“I am really excited; I am going to compete with well-known athletes.
“This is my first time competing at the world stage. I am looking forward to the experience, it’s an opportunity for me to have a feel of what it is like competing at this level.
“I am hoping to go and do my best,” Mhandu said.
Mhandu and Katakura are the reigning national champions and Lisimati is confident they will give it their all when they face some of the world’s leading runners.
“Looking at the seniors, I want to believe Godwin, Caroline, these guys have raced against international athletes in South Africa.
“I want to believe they are competent. They have the experience that we need for them to at least feel the heat and give it a go and be challenged.
“We are confident that Bradley will do well because he has been running cross-country all of December in the United States.
This January, again, he did run a very good time.
“I am hoping that he will lead the team since he is one athlete that we believe is at home and he is fully aware of the weather, the environment and everything,” said Lisimati.
The NAAZ director of coaching feels cross country is one area they have not fully explored.
“All along we have been sending just one male, one female to represent the country. We have not sent such a big team in the last decade.
“We have not yet explored that avenue but we believe that, that is one avenue that our distance runners can also take up and we begin to focus on sending teams.
“Remember the World Cross Country is run in teams, so as long as we cannot send a team of six athletes for each age group, we usually have a problem in not scoring.
“But we are building towards that as a nation,” said Lisimati.
Zimbabwe had two athletes at the previous edition held in 2024.
