• Today Tue, 23 Apr 2024

Team Harare buoyant

By Ellina Mhlanga
HARARE provincial headincharge Apinos Chiwara has expressed confidence in the province’s athletics team ahead of the national crosscountry schools competition set for Chipindura High School in Bindura this Friday.
The competition is expected to feature the country’s 10 provinces and participants will compete in three agegroups for both boys and girls — the Under20, Under18 and Under16.
Each province is expected to field 42 athletes with seven representatives in each agegroup for both categories.
Harare Province selected a 50member team last week during the interzonal schools championships and Chiwara said the athletes are raring to go.
“Today (yesterday) is our last day of preparations and we will be leaving on Thursday. The athletes responded well to training. All the athletes know the             importance of this event and they want to come out and do their best.
“Morale is high in camp and with the preparations we have had so far, we are very optimistic,” said Chiwara.
Harare will be pinning their hopes on athletes such as Adrian Dune, who scooped the title in the Under20 boys’ category during the interzonal schools crosscountry championships.
Tatenda Mutara will be leading the girls’ Under20 team while Munyaradzi Chinyai will lead the boys’ Under18 side and Consider Musara will be the torchbearer in the girls’ category.
Last year, the schools crosscountry competition was combined with the track events but this year they will be held separately.
Provincial chairperson for Nash Mashonaland Central Rumayi Mahlangana said they are ready to host the event.
“Preparations are at an advanced stage and everything is in place. What is left is for the provinces to come. All provinces have confirmed their participation and Matabeleland are coming tomorrow (today) while the rest will arrive on Thursday (tomorrow).
“Initially, we held the competitions separately, that is the crosscountry and the track events, but we were forced to combine the two last year so as to reduce costs as we were going through a rough patch.
“However, the situation is now better and they will be held separately this year. We now have enough time for each event,” said Mahlangana.
Last year some of the athletes got lost during the competition and Mahlangana said they have put measures in place to avoid a similar situation.
“We have a map in place and guides that will be leading the athletes. We have 50 officials from NAAZ (National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe) to officiate at the event,” said Mahlangana.
The Mashonaland Central provincial chairperson said they expect a competitive event as the competition has continued to grow over the years.
“Coaches are taking these competitions seriously because they start at school level up to the provincial level and now we are going for the finals. I think there have been some positive developments,” said Mahlangana.

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