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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
THE National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe (Naaz) will this weekend release a provisional squad for the upcoming Confédération of African Athletics Youth and Junior cadets championship set for Cote D’Ivoire in April.

Speaking during a brief interview with Chronicle Sport on Thursday evening, Naaz president Tendai Tagara said resources permmiting, they would want to send a squad of 10 athletes to the West African nation.

“We intend to name our provisional squad after Saturday (today). We don’t have any particular number that we want to take along to the championships as that is normally determined by their qualification but if we get 10 and with resources allowing we will be more than happy to take them along,” said Tagara.

This weekend’s meet will be the third that Naaz has conducted since their 2019 season got underway a month ago, the first being at the National Sports Stadium’s B Arena. The second one at the White City Stadium in Bulawayo was however, poorly attended largely due to the disturbances that rocked the country.

“The competition was attended by mostly Southern Region clubs and schools maybe owing to the current transport costs and other factors.

“We had a few good results from both track and field events with notably a 2.05m jump by Mathew Msamanyada in the senior men high jump and Sipho Moyo of Ihlosi club sprinting 48.72 seconds in the senior men 400m.

“Prissy Mpofu leaped 5.58m to win the junior women long jump event and Raymond Ngavi of Victoria Falls Mosi Striders clocked 10.62 seconds in 100m.

“Other than these few notable events, it was not as good as we expected. If compared to last season very few athletes attended and this disturbed our process to select and identify athletes for the major events.

“We hope that clubs will pool resources together and try to make it to the next meet to gauge and attempt to qualify,” said Naaz’s director for coaching, talent identification and development, Lisimati Phakamile of the White City event.

Besides the Cote D’Ivoire championships in April, athletes will this year be eyeing to qualify for the 12th edition of the African Games, previously known as the All Africa Games, that will be hosted by Morocco in October.