NAAZ happy with improvements

Ellina Mhlanga

Zimpapers Sports Hub

AS the year draws to a close, National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe president Tendayi Tagara took some time to reflect on some of their proud moments for 2024.

It was a fairly good year for athletics, with some noticeable improvements and achievements despite some limitations.

NAAZ provided athletes for Team Zimbabwe at the African Games, in Accra, Ghana in March that also served as a qualifier for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

While the athletes missed the entry standards for Paris, athletics contributed two medals through distance runner Isaac Mpofu and United States-based hurdler Ashley Kamangirira.

They picked up bronze medals in the half marathon and 100m women’s hurdles.

It was a step in the positive direction, having failed to contribute any medal at the 2019 Games, although athletics had a number of athletes as part of Team Zimbabwe.

NAAZ went on to field a 10-member team at the Africa Senior Championships in Doula, Cameroon, in June and got two silver medals from triple jumper Chengetayi Mapaya and sprinter Tapiwanashe Makarawu (in 200m).

It also marked an improvement from 2022 when the 4x100m men’s relay team picked up bronze in Mauritius.

Prior to the continental meet, Makarawu and Makanakaishe Charamba had run competitive times on their way to qualifying for the Olympic Games held from July 26 to August 11.

They went on to prove their qualification was not a fluke when reaching the 200m men’s final, where Makarawu placed sixth and Charamba eighth.

They were both making their debut appearance at the global multi-sport show-piece.

Mpofu also made an impression at the Games when finishing 19th in the men’s marathon. He was also making his maiden appearance at the Games.

NAAZ had four athletes who were part of Zimbabwe’s team at the Olympics, including Rutendo Nyahora.

Unfortunately, Nyahora, competing for the second time at the Games, failed to finish the women’s marathon.

Tagara described the season as one of their best, in particular, the athletes’ performance.

“2024, I think, was one of our best seasons in terms of the performance of our athletes.

“One, the African Games, we were able to get medals.

“So, we really started the year very well. Again, if you look at it, the Africa Senior Championship, we medalled again. After a long time, getting medals, it was a very good indication for the year.

“I think the climax of our season was the Olympics, where we were able to be in the finals of the 200m. For the first time, two athletes reaching the finals of the 200m and where our athletes were competing at the Olympics for the first time.

“We were only two countries out of 214 countries that had two athletes in the finals of the 200m of the Olympics, ourselves and the USA. That was a great performance,” said Tagara.

NAAZ had more juniors making the qualifying standards for the World Under-20 Championships held in Lima, Peru, in August.

“In terms of the juniors, for the first time, we had eight athletes who qualified for the World Juniors since independence by qualification, although some of them did not manage to travel because of limited resources; that was one of the reasons.

“Two, some of them were now moving to the USA for scholarships, the week of the World Junior Championships. Of all the eight athletes, six of them got scholarships.

“So, we opted for them to go to the USA for scholarships. I remember we cancelled two tickets be-cause we said, No, we can’t ask the kids to go to the World Junior Championships and miss their scholarship demands. So, we are happy.

“We are happy again that Collen Jimu was able to be promoted to be an ITO (International Technical Official). We are now one of the only five countries in Africa that include South Africa, Kenya, Senegal, and Mauritius that have utilised their full quota of three international technical officials on the panel for international competition for CAA (Confederation of African Athletics).

“That is a great achievement.”

The other two that were previously part of the panel are Enias Nhoro and NAAZ vice president Siphatisiwe Machaya.

On the local scene, the association managed to stage a number of competitions, including national championships for seniors and juniors, apart from provincial competition.

They held their elections in October.

“You find that most of our events were executed on time. We managed to run two Level Two courses for coaches. We ran three Level One courses. We also developed more officials.

“I am happy with the leadership of the Athletes’ Commission, led by (Dickson) Kamungeremu.

The leadership was able to make sure that more juniors are exposed, and they were fighting for more women athletes to be participating at the regional championships.

“Another thing we are happy about is that our electronic timing system is back, working,” said Tagara. The new season takes off next month.