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Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
A strong team of over 80 athletes left the country yesterday for Botswana to participate in the Confederation of Schools Sports Association of Southern Africa Athletics Championships.
The championships get underway today and will end on Saturday with Under-14 and Under-18 athletes competing in track and field events at the University of Botswana in Gaborone.

Zimbabwe are the defending champions after the country amassed 61 medals, including 19 gold, at the National Sports Stadium.
National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe vice president in charge of development, Enias Nhoro, who is part of the technical team accompanying the athletes, yesterday said they will defend their title. “We have 88 athletes that are going to Botswana and these are Under-18s and Under-14s and will be competing in the track and field events. We were camping at Northlea High School.

“The athletics championships will be featuring all countries from the Southern Africa region. Last year we were number one at the National Sports Stadium.
“As the hosts we obviously had more athletes but we are saying even now we have enough ammunition to defend the title and bring it back home. We are not going for a honeymoon but we are going to fight, we must bring it back home whichever way,” said Nhoro.

Nhoro said they know what to expect with their challenge likely to come from South Africa and the hosts.