Chronicle Editor
Ellina Mhlanga, Harare Bureau
Almost seven months to go before the Paris 2024 Olympic Games begin, the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee are hopeful to have more athletes qualifying for the quadrennial event.
The Games are due to take place from July 26 to August 11.
So far two athletes – Isaac Mpofu and Stephen Cox have qualified in athletics and rowing respectively.
Marathon runner Mpofu qualified for the Games in December, 2022 at the Valencia Marathon and Cox secured his place last year in October at the Africa Olympic Qualification Regatta (AOQR)/Africa Rowing Championships held in Tunisia.
Cox qualified to compete in the Men’s Single Scull rowing event (M1x).
ZOC have indicated they would want to have at least 10 athletes qualifying for the multi-sport global showcase.
With only two athletes having qualified and the qualifying period deadlines for the different sport codes drawing closer, athletes will have to up their game.
ZOC chief executive Marlene Gadzirayi said they are staying positive as the qualifiers are still on-going.
“We have only two that have qualified. We have got Isaac Mpofu in marathon and Stephen Cox in rowing.
“The qualifiers are still on-going. They are actually on-going until up to June, like a month before the Olympics. So we keep our fingers crossed as we wait for the other athletes to qualify.
“All I can just say is that a lot of athletes are still on the road to qualification based on the qualifying races and events that are still on,” said Gadzirayi.
Some of the hopefuls still chasing qualification are swimmers Donata Katai and Nomvula Mjimba, marathon runner Fortunate Chidzivo, sprinter Tinotenda Matiyenga, triathlete Andie Kuipers and judoka Christi-Rose Pretorius, who are all among recipients of the IOC Olympic Solidarity scholarships.
ZOC are also working with other athletes who are not part of the scholarships recipients such as South Africa-based long-distance runner Rutendo Nyahora.
The National Olympic Committee had hoped to have a team sport qualifying for the Games but the rugby and hockey men and women teams failed to make the grade.
“Unfortunately there is no team that will actually be going to the Olympics from Zimbabwe . . . we failed to qualify, be it hockey or rugby.”
ZOC have since put in place mechanisms to assist the two athletes that have qualified with their preparations.
“So Isaac, for marathon, will be training in Harare for the next six months. At the moment he is at home in Bulawayo but he will be in Harare by the 15th of January to start his training camp.
“So he will actually be in camp for six months, all the way until he goes to the Olympics.
“Stephen Cox has just left for Australia. So he is going to be training in Australia at the Sydney Rowing Club. So we have had sort of a partnership with the Australian Olympic Committee. So he will be training at the Sydney Rowing Club for about three months.
“He has got about two or three events that he will participate in just for practice since he is already qualified.”
ZOC are also pinning their hopes on golfer Scott Vincent and according to Gadzirayi, he stands a good chance of making the top 60 that will qualify in the men’s section.
“We are still hoping and if we don’t get to 10, we should be at least as close as possible to the figure,” said Gadzirayi.
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