The Sunday Mail
Lawson Madzivanyika
More than 300 athletes are expected to converge at the National Sports Stadium in Harare for today’s inaugural Heroes Track and Field Championships.
National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe’s Tendai Tagara explained that the competition was meant to honour deceased athletics administrators.
“This country was blessed with very good administrators who worked hard for the sport and we saw it fit to honour their work through this competition,” said Tagara.
Some of the heroes to be honoured are Clever Machiridza, Clifford Chiripamberi, Michael Chikono, Mike Masiro and Dorcas Gwatira, a wheelchair athlete who died after being hit by a car in South Africa during a race.
Harare Athletics Board secretary-general Silas Muringani said, “For this inaugural meet we are expecting more than 300 participants to take part in the competitions because we are selecting teams that will represent the country in both junior and senior championships.”
Selection of the team that will participate in the Southern Region Junior Championships slated for Zambia next weekend will be finalised today.
“Most of our junior athletes are in exceptional form and we are taking this opportunity to do final preparations before they leave for Zambia. We expect athletes like Rutendo Chimbaru to qualify for world junior championships because her times are very encouraging,” noted Muringani.
Tagara said the senior team would immediately go into camp after today’s competition to prepare for the continental senior championships.
“Soon after this meet, the selected senior athletes will go into camp in Bulawayo for more training since most of them will be aiming to qualify for the Olympics,” said the NAAZ boss.
