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 Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
ATHLETICS could be set for a revamp in Matabeleland North province after Ponel Youth Soccer Academy incorporated Dete Panthers Athletics Club into its academy setup.

Ponel Youth Soccer Academy director Nelson Ndeka said they had resolved to come to the aid of one of the province’s revered track and field clubs, which is struggling to remain afloat.

Following a forced lengthy two-year stoppage of all sporting activities due to the Covid-19 pandemic, athletics clubs are struggling to resume operations, while others have simply folded, leaving a number of talented athletes in the cold without material and financial support.

“There are schoolchildren who used to be under the supervision of a local physical education teacher and four of them approached me during our football training.

They told me that they were thinking of operating under Ponel, which has an administration structure that can help them achieve their dreams.

“We sat down with the executive and decided we could not shut them out.

We then decided to embrace athletics, as long as they follow the guidelines of the academy.

We then incorporated them as Ponel Youth Athletics Team,” said Ndeka.

Watson Prince Phiri represented the newly constituted team in the junior track and field championships in Harare a fortnight ago and won a bronze medal in long jump.

Dete was once the prime talent scouting ground for athletics coaches in the 1990s and early 2000s, but dwindling corporate support has spelt doom for the sport.

Situated about 50km from Hwange, Dete used to be a conduit for talent for the coal mining town, in particular during the vibrant years of the Chamber of Mines athletics tournaments.
Dete last held an athletics activity in 2009 when the African Bush Camps Foundation staged the Dete 10km Fun Run.

— @innocentskizoe