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Ellina Mhlanga, Zimpapers Sport Hub
WITH the World Athletics Relays slated for May 10-11 in Guangzhou, China, the National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe (Naaz) is pinning its hopes on local-based athletes to secure qualification.
The two-day competition features the men’s and women’s 4x100m and 4x400m events, as well as the mixed 4x400m, with 32 teams vying for top honours in each discipline.
According to the qualification system, the top 16 teams from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games have already secured their spots.
Host nation China is also entitled to enter one team per event. The remaining slots will be allocated based on the top lists during the qualification period, which runs from January 1 to April 13 this year.
Naaz president, Tendayi Tagara acknowledged that the association had initially hoped to include United States-based athletes in the teams.
However, due to university commitments, their availability is uncertain. As a result, Naaz is now focusing on nurturing local talent to fill the void.
“A number of athletes have been earmarked but we will have a shortlist.
“We have a challenge with athletes based in the US because the time when the relays are held in May, that’s when the summer season begins in America and its very tricky to secure their release.
“We have tried through Brian Dzingai to assist on that one, but he is saying that it’s really a challenge because the universities are now focusing on the summer calendar and that’s when it’s very busy.
“It’s very difficult to get the foreign-based athletes. Our focus will be on the local athletes and we will try to push. We have done it before with the local-based athletes… we are working on that.”
Zimbabwe have been to the World Relays before with the 4x100m team and they will be out to secure one of the remaining slots in two events – 4x100m and 4x400m.
Naaz is hoping to join hands with neighbouring countries such as Botswana and Zambia to stage events that can serve as a platform for their teams to chase qualification.
“As an association, we are planning for the event. Our athletes are now running. Harare has run an event where some athletes are training outside Zimbabwe, in South Africa.
“Very soon, we will announce a long list, then we are planning to run a competition in Botswana where they have also invited us, where we want to send relay teams for both men and women, especially the 4x100m and 4x400m.
“We will look at what is best for us, the best bet on those two areas. And there is a competition, which we have already confirmed in Botswana, which will be running in March as part of the qualification.
“We are hoping to get another relay competition in Zambia. We have also talked to Namibia, if they organise a relay event, we send our teams so that as a region we help one another to qualify for those two relays,” said Tagara.
While there have been some positive strides on the men’s side with the 4x100m relay team clinching a bronze medal at the Africa Senior Championships in 2022, it has been a different case for the women’s side as the number of athletes continues to dwindle.
“The outstanding ones left on scholarship but we will try. Definitely, we will send a ladies’ team to Botswana.”
The top 14 teams in each of the events at the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25 will automatically qualify for places at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 2025.
