DUE to inadequate funding for Team Zimbabwe in the African Union Sports Council Region V Under-20 Youth Games, Harare-based athletes will be forced to commute from home during a planned training camp in the capital this weekend.
SUKOLUHLE MTHETHWA SPORTS REPORTER Athletes from outside Harare are expected to be housed at Zifa Village to prepare for the biannual competition that will be held in Bulawayo from December 5 to 15.
Deputy chef de mission administration, Tirivashe Nheweyembwa, yesterday confirmed the team would be converging in Harare this weekend.
“Team Zimbabwe is going to camp in Harare from Friday (tomorrow) to Sunday. Athletes from outside Harare will be accommodated at Zifa Village. However, due to limited resources those from Harare will commute to the various venues. Athletes will conduct training sessions at various venues in Harare depending on sporting disciplines.
Judo, athletics and basketball players will be the first to go into camp tomorrow while others will follow,” he said.
Nheweyembwa said they had come with a training programme which will run until the games start.
“We have come up with an integrated roadmap in preparation for the games. That will see athletes regrouping frequently. We are expecting that they meet every week until they go to Bulawayo for the peak perfomance camp. However, if for example a sporting discipline has many athletes attending school, then we will have to postpone their training. We have asked coaches to indicate to us how many athletes are attending school,” he said.
Last month, Nheweyembwa made an appeal to the corporate world to assist with resources to help in the preparation for the games.
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“The government made funds available for the teams to prepare for the youth games, but there are some equipment that athletes needed. We hope to get corporates who will come forward and assist us,” he added.
Athletics, netball, swimming, basketball, boxing, football, tennis and judo are the sports codes that participating countries will compete in.
