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Ellina Mhlanga, Sports Reporter
WORLD Championships-bound Rutendo Nyahora has encouraged other female athletes to believe in themselves if they want to scale great heights.

The long-distance runner is among five athletes who will represent the country at the forthcoming IAAF World Championships in Doha, Qatar.

The championships will run from this Friday to October 6 and Zimbabwe will field four athletes — Nyahora (women’s marathon), Munyaradzi Jari, Isaac Mpofu and Ngonidzashe Ncube (men’s marathon team).

United States-based Chengetayi Mapaya will represent the country in triple jump.

Nyahora is scheduled to leave her base in South Africa today for Doha.

“I would like to encourage the ladies that sometimes we have to challenge ourselves and see how far we can go,’’ she said.

“I was a bit stressed when they changed the qualifying standards from 2hours 45minutes to 2hours 37minutes (for the World Championships).

“But I accepted the challenge and I made it. Now I am looking forward to the challenge for the 2020 Olympics.

“They (women) must not look down upon themselves, they have to believe in themselves.’’

In 2017, she finished in 47th place in 2hours 42minutes 53seconds.

“In 2016 I was the only female (long-distance) athlete that qualified for the Rio Olympics.

“In 2017 I went to the World Championships in London and this time around I am hoping to do my best because now I have the experience when it comes to marathon.

“The only thing I have to do is to pace myself very well because the weather will be extremely hot, it’s going to be around 28 degrees Celsius at midnight.

“For now, I don’t want to promise anything, except to say I will do my best, my preparations have been going well and I thank God I am injury free,” said Nyahora.

For Mapaya, triple jump first round is set for Friday as well.

“It’s my first time and, to be honest, we are very happy with this opportunity that has been given to us.

“Opportunities like this come once in a lifetime.

“It’s hard to qualify, to beat those times, so if you see yourself qualifying for these competitions like the World Championships, it’s a must to work hard so that I can represent the country very well,” said Mpofu.