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Region Track and Field Youth Championship in Namibia this weekend.
The team left Bulawayo on Wednesday and were expected to arrive in Windhoek last night after travelling the nearly 1 500km by road using the Trans-Kalari Desert route.
According to National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe administrator Grace Mandeya, the Zimbabweans are bracing for tough competition from hosts Namibia, South Africa and emerging sporting power Botswana.
“As expected the team is going to meet very stiff resistance from South Africa and Botswana, including the host country Namibia. South Africa recently won a gold medal in the Africa Junior Championships in Botswana.
“They have got a very good development programme, which means they are the best team in the Southern Region.
“The team is going to suffer from fatigue because of the distance between Zimbabwe and Namibia.
“We hope the majority of our youths are going to end up in the finals and we bring at least five medals of any colour,” said Mandeya.
Most of the athletes were selected through the Nash competitions and one of the coaches, Silas Muringani, believes they have the best possible team.
“The selection was intense and we believe we have selected these athletes on merit. Our hope is that some of the runners would at least reach the finals,” said Muringani.
Muringani said NAAZ were using this competition to select a team for the World Youth Championship in France.
“We have a decent field and this event will give our youth the much needed international exposure. It is important for our athletes to record electronic times against some of the best athletes from the region,” said Muringani.
Field events’ specialists Cathrine Makaya is tipped to reach the finals of the girls’ triple and long jump.
She qualified for Windhoek with a best jump of 11.89m in triple jump while she leaped 5.40m in long jump.
Kudzai Gondora has been selected for the girls’ 100m while Buhle Geza is a medal hopeful in the girls’ 200m sprint.
Sikulehlile Moyo has some exposure from an international event. Anesu Muswazi has been entered for the boys’ 110m hurdles while Prince Edward schoolboy Clifford Chauruka has shown a lot of promise in local races but will have to pull up his sleeves against some of the best from the Southern African region.
Meanwhile, the Midlands Track and Field Championships, which had been set for this weekend at Torwood, have been deferred after clashing with the World Athletics Day Champions. Enias Nhoro, the NAAZ director of competitions, said the commemorations will be held on Saturday and Sunday in Kadoma. Nhoro said both senior and junior athletes will take part in the track and field competitions at Kuredza Primary School.
Team in Namibia
Girls: Cathrine Makaya, Kudzanai Gondora, Buhle Geza, Kudzai Chitsva, Tabeth Gwebu, Kufa Ethel, Siphokosi Nkomo, Sikulehlile Moyo, Takudzwa Muchichwa,
Boys: Job Jani, Anesu Muswazi, Tamuka Chinyadza, Cliford Chauruka, Shingirai Choto, Shumba Tatenda, Tenysen Tshabangu, Hleruka Tafara, Tinotenda Gwikwi, Lesley Makirimani, Tonderai Mjungwa.