HWANGE Colliery Athletics Club junior sprinter Valentious Shoko stole the limelight after finishing a 100m event in a better time compared to that of senior athletes at White City Stadium yesterday during the National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe (Naaz) track and field events.
RONALD MOYO SPORTS REPORTER
Shoko came first in the junior men’s 100m final crossing the finishing line in 10,59secs while the man-of-the day in the senior men’s 100m event, Kenneth Chibwana of Fairbridge Athletics Club, finished in 10,90secs.
The Matabeleland North sprinter got the better of Chris Tadu of NC Academy and Evidence Dambu of How Mine athletics Club who finished in 10,61 and 10,74secs respectively.
Also in the spotlight was Matabeleland South-based Sydney Nyoni who won the junior men high jump competition. The 18-year-old Nyoni leapt 1,85m, beating Milton High School’s 15-year-old Jordan Mubako who jumped 1,75m.
Bulawayo Athletics Board (BAB) chairman Manuel Mpofu said he was impressed by the turnout of clubs.
“This is the third Naaz track and field events competition this year. We had the first one here and the second one in Harare. So far today I have not yet looked much into times because I have been running up and down to make sure the event goes well, so I cannot comment on improvement now. The improvement I noticed is the turnout of athletes and clubs,” Mpofu said.
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Most junior athletes from Matabeleland South, Matabeleland North and Bulawayo province were rested to avoid fatigue as they were involved in National Secondary School Heads inter-district competitions on Friday.
Rachel Ngwarai won the women’s 200m event hitting the tape in 25,60secs. She beat Zimbabwe Prisons Services’ Carana Chashamba and Rosemary Mamvura from Fairbridge who finished in 26,00 and 26,64secs respectively.
Fairbridge’s seasoned sprinter Connias Mudzingwa who missed the first event at the same venue a fortnight ago, made his debut for the season in style winning the senior men’s 400m event though his time still leaves a lot to be desired.
He beat the duo of Club mate Roy Zakaria and Tapiwa Pangweni finishing in 49,67secs.
The event was part of the on-going Naaz teams selections for upcoming events which include the Super 8 for the Under-20 which will be held in Harare in the B Arena on March 16, Region V Games to be hosted by Bulawayo in December, the Africa Youth Games in Botswana in May, the Nanjing Youth Olympics scheduled for China in August and next year’s All-Africa Games.
