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Lovemore Dube Senior Sports Editor
CRACK Matabeleland South long distance runner Nkosiyazi Sibanda has bemoaned the lack of races in the country. He said marathon runners were failing to qualify for major events because there were getting few races and opportunities to run abroad were not coming by and this had seen many fail to qualify for major international competitions.

“It’s every athlete’s dream to compete at the All-Africa and Olympic Games. But you have to run a qualifying standard and you can only do that when you get a good number of events to give it a try,” said Sibanda from Gwanda.

He said as things were, he was eager to represent his country at the Congo-Brazaville All-Africa Games and Rio de Jainero Olympics.

“Like any athlete my dream would be to compete at that level. But without races and a sponsor to take me may be to races abroad and South Africa on accredited International Association of Athletics Federations courses, we’ll not be able to make the grade,” said Sibanda.

The top athlete who boasts of power and endurance, certainly needs a better environment for his athletics career to blossom, is hungry for more athletics success.

He said at the moment he was doing most of his training in Gwanda.

“The course I’m using to train is not bad, it has ascends and I am able to train running downhill.

“I’ve won several races here and I believe it’s time for me now to race overseas and take on the best. I want to qualify for big competitions,” said the Gwanda lad.

Some local top marathon runners prefer preparing for events in the Eastern Highlands at higher altitude. When they run in lower altitude they tend to do better because the air there is thinner to breathe and aids their quest for better times.

This year Sibanda won the Two Countries Marathon, Econet Victoria Falls Marathon and another in Gaborone, Botswana.

Male athletes eager to represent Zimbabwe in next year’s major events will have to run a time better than 2 hours 18 minutes for a “B” standard and 2 hours for an “A” standard.

Only Charles Pasimire with 2 hours 14 minutes and national record holder Cuthbert Nyasango (2 hours 09 minutes) stand a great chance to represent the country in Congo-Brazaville provided they are advised on time so that they do not load events in the run up to the continental showpiece.