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Ellina Mhlanga–Senior Sports Reporter 

WITH their regional counterparts making strides at the big stage, National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe admitted there are gaps that have to be addressed for local athletes to reach that level. 

The likes of South Africa, Botswana and Zambia have been on the rise, getting medals in some of the top competitions. 

Botswana’s recent achievements include a gold medal won by their 19-year-old sprinter Letsile Tebogo, in 100m at the World Under-20 Championships in Colombia. He also picked a silver medal for 200m at the same meet. 

Tebogo set a new world Under-20 record when winning the 100m final in 9.91seconds to lower the previous record of 9.94seconds he had set at the World Championships in Oregon, United States, last month. 

Botswana also picked a silver medal at the just-ended 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, through their men’s 4x400m relay team while Zambian teenager Muzala Samukonga won his country a gold medal in the men’s 400m event at the same Games. 

Zimbabwe are not part of the Commonwealth Games. 

But they had two athletes at the World Under-20 Championships and could not go past the heats. 

At the World Championships in Oregon, the best performance for Zimbabwe was from Isaac Mpofu, who finished on position 10 in men’s marathon and also set a new national record. 

However, it is the success being registered by their regional counterparts that puts them on the spotlight. 

NAAZ president, Tendai Tagara, highlighted some of the concerns he believes are hindering progress of local athletes. 

These include lack of proper facilities and investment in sport which hinders retention and sustainability of athletes when they graduate from the school system. 

“Countries like Botswana and Zambia have taken a deliberate move to support athletics. Botswana, they have constructed so many sports stadiums with tartan track which they are even underutilising. It means the athletes do their training in the best stadiums. 

“Look at their outstanding athletes, they are not all training in Gaborone, they come to Gaborone for competitions. In Gaborone, there are two stadiums which they use for free. Kids and athletes train for free, so they are exposed to the best facilities at an early stage. That’s the principle. 

“It’s not the federation that train those athletes. They are trained by their clubs that are exposed to good facilities. If they are running a 200m they know you are training a real 200m distance because the stadium is world class. 

“Look at Zambia, the athletes use those stadiums for free, they don’t pay for the stadium. It’s a deliberate position by the relevant authorities so that they support the grassroots. 

“We must take that decision that we must support our athletes at an early stage,” said Tagara. 

Lack of proper and standard facilities in the country continues to be a setback in the development of athletes. 

Athletes seeking qualification to major competitions have had to look for competitions outside the country to get times and standards for qualification due to lack of facilities and proper equipment in Zimbabwe. 

Apart from facilities, Tagara said lack of funds is an obstacle in retaining and sustaining athletes when they graduate from the school system. 

“We have dominated the juniors in regional competitions. When the school system ends, the association must have financial strength through the Government support to take over . . . I think that’s what we only need. It’s the financial support. 

“The federation must take over after the school system . . . There must be long-term camps, that’s the spirit. 

“Sport is money. When ZOC (the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee) and NAAZ combined in marathon, we all saw the results . . . I am happy the Ministry of Sport have seen it and they are now supporting athletics. 

“For the first time in 17 years we got support from the Government for the air tickets to Mauritius, the World Championships, and the World Junior Championships. That to us is a positive thinking, it’s a good indication,” said Tagara. 

The NAAZ president believes if the Government continues to avail support for their endeavours, the situation will change for the better.