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Ellina Mhlanga Senior Sports Reporter

THE National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe have set their eyes on qualification for 10 000m and marathon for next year’s World Championships with five athletes selected for the ongoing camp in Harare.

Four long distance runners – Moses Tarakinyu, Wellington Varevi, Tendai Zimuto and Tatenda Hove – are currently in camp.

They will be joined by Elijah Mabhunu when he returns from the Southern Africa Regional Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (SARPCCO) Games in Tanzania.

The national association is targeting the Cape Town Marathon to be held next month for qualification.

It is now possible to qualify for 10 000m in a road race and the quartet of Tarakinyu, Varevi, Zimuto and Mabhunu are expected to run 10km at the Cape Town Marathon while Hove competes in marathon.

The qualifying time for men’s marathon is 2 hours 9 minutes 40 seconds and 2 hours 28 minutes for women. For 10 000m its 27 minutes 10 seconds for men and 30 minutes 40 seconds for women.

Head of the national event coaches team for middle and long-distance runners, Benson Chauke said with marathon runner Isaac Mpofu already qualified for next year, they are hoping to have at least two more athletes qualifying in the same event.