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Sports Reporter

The National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe president Tendayi Tagara is hopeful the distance runners camp they are holding will help them achieve their targeted goals for the 2023 World Championships and the 2024 Olympic Games.

The camp which began early this month, is being led by head of the national event coaches team for middle and long-distance runners, Benson Chauke.

Selected athletes that include Moses Tarakinyu, Wellington Varevi, Tendai Zimuto, Tatenda Hove, Elijah Mabhunu and Ngonidzashe Ncube are attending the camp.

The athletes are targeting the Cape Town Marathon next month. Some will compete in the marathon and others in the 10km race chasing qualification for the next year’s World Championships.

Tagara said the camp is part of their efforts to assist athletes qualify for the championships to be staged in Budapest and Paris 2024 Olympics.

“We are very confident that we will have marathon runners that will qualify for Budapest and Paris 2024.

“As a federation we are now moving to the 10 000m which we feel that we can also qualify for Paris 2024 and Budapest. That’s why we have 10 000m runners in camp.

“The world body has now made it clear that the athletes can also run the 10km road race and qualify as a 10 000m event. So we are using that opportunity that’s why we have quite a big group that is preparing to run the Cape Town Marathon and the 10km in October,” said Tagara.