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Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
ATHLETES from across the country will be out to continue from where they left from when they converge at White City today for the second leg of the JM Busha track and field triangular series.

The series took off two weeks ago in Harare and competition continues today in Bulawayo.

With the top 16 athletes based on points after today’s competition earning the right to compete in the final leg on May 25, Bulawayo Athletics Board chairperson, Manuel Mpofu is confident it’s going to be an interesting competition.

“We are more than ready to host everybody in Zimbabwe and even those from outside. We are used to hosting international competitions, so we are ready.

“Our programme is out, we have almost 30 clubs registered as of now (yesterday) and we have plus 400 athletes who have already registered as well. We are still expecting more.

“This one is a bigger competition because athletes want to achieve better times to earn points to be in the finals,” said Mpofu.

Participants will take part in track and field events from 100m to 5 000m, 4 x100m, 4 x400m, javelin, discus, shot put, long jump, triple jump and high jump.

The final leg of the series in May will coincide with the JM Busha 42km marathon and the National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe met with the sponsors on Thursday to finalise on the prizes for the winners.

For the track and field, the top three will get money prize ranging between $20 and $50 while for the marathon the top athletes for both men and women will get $3 000.

NAAZ president Tendai Tagara said the meeting went well and believes there is room for improvement for the track and field since this is just the beginning.

“It was okay. We have put the prizes at $50, $30 and $20 for the top three for each of the 26 events.

“There is the relay events also and we have put the prizes at $100, $80 and $60.

“For a start we are okay, we don’t complain.

“What we want to do for next year is we want to give prizes for all the three legs. This is just an incentive.

“We are okay because big money is in the road races and we are happy Busha want to chip in on the track and field.

“For the road race, it’s paying $3 000 for the winner but they are paying up to number 10 for the marathon on the 25th of May,” said Tagara.

Today’s event is expected to feature most of the athletes that attended the first leg in Harare as they look at increasing their points.