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Sports Reporter
ALL roads lead to Bulawayo tomorrow for the National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe track and field championships at White City.

The meet is expected to attract a large turnout with Primary and Secondary Schools preparing for the Naph and Nash competitions starting early next month.

It is also a qualifying event for the African Junior Championships in Algiers, Algeria, in May.

National director junior development, Silas Muringani, said it’s an important event for the juniors.

“For the juniors, these competitions mean a lot considering they will be going to Algeria in May. So it gives them a platform for practice and also to qualify for Algeria,” Muringani said.

Muringani, who is also the Harare Athletics Board secretary-general, said athletes should take advantage of tomorrow’s event to prepare for the JM Busha track and field triangular series first leg in Harare next week.

“Obviously, we want to give our athletes an opportunity to participate in as many competitions as possible so that they are prepared for the JM Busha event.

“If we have many of them coming out tops that’s a plus. The JM Busha is an open event where we are not looking at age, the juniors can challenge the seniors.

“We have a number of juniors doing well – the likes of Chengetayi Mapaya in triple jump. Tinotenda Matiyenga has been doing well in the 100m and 200m.

“On the girls’ side we have the likes of Rutendo Chimbaru, Vimbai Maisvoreva, they are actually doing well,” said Muringani.

The national championships are held every month in Harare and Bulawayo as part of the athletics mother body’s efforts to create more competition for local athletes.

Meanwhile, Wellington Varevi and Rudo Mhonderwa are not leaving anything to chance with their coaches already planning for the World Cross Country championships on March 26 in Kampala, Uganda.

Varevi and Mhonderwa earned the tickets to the championships when they emerged winners in the senior men and senior women 10km races.

They will be joined by two juniors Tanaka Hove (junior men) and Tatenda Ndhlovu (junior women).

Varevi clocked 31minutes 7.30seconds at the national event in Bulawayo and believes he can run a better time in Uganda.

“At the moment I am working on improving my time. I need to push to run less than 29 minutes,” said Varevi.

His coach at Amen Academy, Aaron White, said they are working on ensuring the 22-year-old gives his best in Kampala.

“Our goal in Kampala, we are going for time. We are not worried about position, we have already passed the first stage which is qualifying.

“Our goal now is to go there and run a good time. We are aiming to run 28.50 (minutes) and below,” said White.