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Tadious Manyepo Sports Reporter

FOUR Zimbabwean para-athletes are facing the globe in the World Para-Athletes grand prix in Marrakech, Morocco where they are chasing after qualification for the 2024 Paralympic Games.

The Paralympic Games are scheduled for Paris, France in August.

And the quartet of Clement Nyoni, Kudakwashe Chigwedere, Vimbai Zvinowanda and Tinotenda Bango are out to punch their tickets to the sporting showcase by nailing places in the ongoing Marrakech contest.

The event provides a platform for track and field athletes with physical challenges, visual and general impairments to qualify for the quadrennial Para Games.

A total of 437 para-athletes drawn from 66 nations across the whole world are competing for places in Paris.

The trio of Chigwedere, Zvinowanda and Bango are all in Class T47 and they are specializing in sprints.

Zvinowanda is competing in the Women’s 200m and 400m events with Bango also taking part in the Women’s 200m as well as the 100m race.  Chigwedere will try and qualify in the 100m and 200m races while Nyoni, a Class T46 runner, will take part in the 200m and 400m races.

Former paralympian Elliot Mujaji is the Team Zimbabwe coach.

The Team Zimbabwe trip was put together by the relevant authorities with the Government, through the Ministry of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture chipping in, in a big way.

Team Zimbabwe leader in Morocco, Masimba Mutemaringa expressed confidence the para-athletes will do well and qualify for the Paralympic Games to which he will be the Chef De Mission.

“Let me start by thanking the Government through the Ministry of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture for affording this team a chance to participate in this significant competition,” said Mutemaringa.

“Let me assure you that Team Zimbabwe is here to compete. We will give it our best shot.

“This is our chance to nail places at the biggest sporting showcase for para-athletes.  The athletes are up and about and they have promised to deliver the goods and make Zimbabwe proud.

“We have a group of sportspersons who are ready to give their all for the country’s cause. I have no doubt that they will do very well and punch their tickets to France.

“Bango and Chigwedere will get the ball rolling for Zimbabwe and the others will follow in the coming days. We are very confident that all the four will do well.”

The pair of Chigwedere and Bango were scheduled to take to the track late yesterday for the initial heats.