adminAugustine Hwata Sports Reporter
FOR the third year running, Zimbabwe will not be sending any athletes to the Sao Silvestre 12km New Year’s Eve Road Race either in Angola or Maputo.
The Sao Silvestre Road races are celebrated on New Year’s Eve mostly in Portuguese speaking countries and the National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe had been sending athletes either to Luanda or Maputo.
The competition is also highlighted as the last official event on the NAAZ calendar but once again, Zimbabwe will not be represented.
Last week, NAAZ secretary general Cynthia Phiri pointed out that they had not received any nominations from the various provincial boards for the races set for New Year ’s Eve.
“I am not aware of any athletes who are going to the races. Usually the provincial boards will give us clarification on those who are eligible but they have not done so,” said Phiri.
Kelvin Pangiso, who has emerged as the king of the road races in 2013 season could have been a top contender for the Sao Silvestre Road Race while Rutendo Nyahora could have represented the country in the women’s section.
In the previous years, Zimbabwe athletes Samukeliso Moyo and Luwis Masunda had done well at the races where they faced some of the finest runners from the region.
NAAZ have also previously used the ZRP 10km Commissioner’s Road Race or the Olympic Day Run as some of the selection events to the New Year’s Eve races but currently no one is presently in charge of selecting athletes for international road races.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe high jump record holder Juma Phiri is making headways in establishing an athletics academy that will be based at Hamilton High School in Bulawayo.
Juma attended Hamilton where he played football as a goalkeeper but later found fame in high jump and later coached several junior teams at various international competitions.
Online Reporter