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Ellina Mhlanga-Senior Sports Reporter

WITH the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games over, the focus for athletics is now on the World Athletics Championships, scheduled for next year, in the United States. 

Athletics was expected to provide a number of athletes for Team Zimbabwe, at the Tokyo 2020 Games but, instead, only one athlete made it to the Games, on a universality slot. 

Most of the athletes have expressed their intentions to try and qualify for the World Athletics Championships next year. 

But the big question is, with the qualifying times and standards used for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games being the same standards they have to meet for next year’s global meet, will local athletes make it? National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe director for coaching, talent identification and development, Lisimati Phakamile, said without financial investment in sport, nothing is going to change. 

“We have learnt that you can have plans, strategic plans, you can have everything on paper, write it down but, as long as you don’t have enough financial support to back up those plans, it’s a futile exercise. 

“The qualifying standards have not changed and will not change. But, what it simply means is everyone else in the world, is moving forward, is training hard, developing and investing in sport. “And, if as a country, as an association, as a club we don’t also follow the trend, if we don’t invest in sport, in training and in competitions, we will definitely remain at the same level,’’ said Phakamile. 

Zimbabwe had one of the smallest teams at the Games, with only five athletes. 

“Amateurs don’t usually get to the stages of Olympics, amateurs do sport for leisure, they do sport for enjoyment, and they don’t need payment,’’ he said. 

“But, for an athlete to get a living from athletics, someone has to invest. 

“Companies have to invest, associations and government have to invest. 

“If we don’t come together, our athletes will suffer. Our athletes will not be able to compete as professionals because they will need to get a job to make a living, to balance everything. 

“At the end of the day, our athletes will go back to the amateur level, and amateurs find it very difficult to get to professional levels.

“Participating at the Olympics needs a lot of investment, a lot of money, a lot of time, standard facilities and equipment and quality competitions. 

“And, you cannot get all those with just being an amateur athlete, without any investment that you have done, to get to that level.’’