Team Zimbabwe raring to go

Ellina Mhlanga in DOUALA, Cameroon

Most members of Team Zimbabwe will get in action as the meet gets underway this morning at Japoma Stadium.

“We are starting our races today and our first athlete on the track is young Elizabeth Msipa for the women’s 100m. Thereafter, all the 100m male sprinters are going on the track, that is Makarawu, Ngoni Makusha and Dickson Kamungeremu,” said Phakamile.

“Immediately after that we have got long jump, the qualifying rounds for Tafadzwa Chikomba. He is going in for the first qualifying rounds with the hope that he will do very well.

Phakamile said they will be out to try and achieve the Paris 2024 Olympics qualifying times in the early stages of the competition.

“We would rather qualify for the Olympics at the heat stages and lessen the burden for us to qualify at the later stages as the number of competitions that we are going to have during this period are going to be many,” said Phakamile.

“The weather is also going to have some effect on the performance of the athletes. So we have spoken with the athletes and we feel that it’s best that they hit the ground running and try to meet their good times from the start.

“We will go to the semi-finals and then the finals because we are also looking at the medals. We need to better our medal tally and the quality of the medals as well. The team is very motivated and raring to go.”

Zimbabwe is fielding 10 athletes and United States-based Vimbayi Maisvorewa could not make it due to visa issues.

Team manager Partson Muderedzi said they are looking forward to qualifying for the coming Paris Olympics and winning medals.