malvernmugadzikwa
Ellina Mhlanga
AFTER recording some positives this year, with athletics providing four members for Team Zimbabwe at the Paris Olympics, National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe (NAAZ) are looking at maintaining the momentum, with focus now on next year’s World Championships.
The global meet will run from September 13 to 21, 2025 in Tokyo, Japan.
NAAZ had two sprinters and two marathon runners at the Paris Olympics.
As they brace for the World Championships, NAAZ are hopeful of more numbers in the sprints, field events and long-distance running to make the cut.
The qualifying time for men is 2 hours 6 minutes 30 seconds, and 2 hours 23 minutes 30 seconds for women.
The hopefuls include Zimbabwe long-distance king Isaac Mpofu, Ngonidzashe Ncube, Tendai Zimuto and Blessing Waison.
Zimuto was Mpofu’s training partner for the Paris Olympics.
And he has continued working on improving his performance, with the goal being qualification for the World Championships.
He is hoping to attain the time when he competes at the Amsterdam Marathon in the Netherlands on October 20.
“I didn’t break camp since January when I was trying to qualify for the Olympics. But I failed to qualify and I continued training and now I am going to try the World Championships,” he said.
“The main goal is to qualify.”
The qualifying window for the marathon opened in November last year and closes on May 4, 2025.
For the 10 000m, 20km race walk, combined events and relays, the window opened in February this year and closes on August 24, 2025.
For all other events, including track and field, it opened on August 1 this year and runs until August 24, 2025.
Zimuto’s first major marathon was the Enschede Marathon held in April, in which he finished fourth in 2 hours 9 minutes 30 seconds.
“I am still learning, but from what we have done, compared to when I went for the Enschede, and where I am right now, there is a big change,” he said.
“There is a lot I learnt from Isaac. I can say running a marathon is something I learnt from Isaac. He is very focused and well-disciplined. Without that, it’s difficult to succeed.
“It’s something I learnt from him and when you train, you need to balance between training and resting. There is a need for a lot of discipline. It requires hard work.”
He went on: “I can’t say much, but I am going to do my best. If we don’t face any challenges between now and the race, I know I will do my best. Of course, you never know what happens on race day. But anything can happen.”
Zimuto has engaged Wellington Varevi and upcoming runner Gamuchirai Tsveta as his training partners.
On his part, Mpofu, whose last major competition was the Paris Olympics, will be hoping to build on his previous experiences as he pursues qualification to make his fourth appearance at the World Championships.
“The Olympics was another chapter. Mostly, I prepare according to the race I am going to attend. Right now it’s about time,” he said.
“I must try my best to train and be fit to run the qualifying time. So, that’s my target. I must make sure that by the time we get to April, I am fit to an extent that I am able to run the time,” said Mpofu.
He is also targeting the Rotterdam Marathon in the Netherlands in April next year.
Ncube is expected to run at Turkey’s Istanbul Marathon in November this year.
At the previous World Championships, NAAZ had three marathon runners that included Mpofu, Ncube and Fortunate Chidzivo.
Sprinter Tapiwanashe Makarawu was part of the team after qualifying for 200m.
The United States-based athlete has already secured his place in the same event for next year’s competition in Japan.
He qualified for the championships during the Olympic Games in August.
Online Reporter