Promising Zimbabwe Junior athletes Dumisani Bhebhe and Tinashe Mutanga have been named in the 22-member team to represent the country in the Southern Region Junior Championships Track and Field events set for Namibia at the weekend.
The contingent is expected to leave the country by road today.
The competition will be used to select athletes who will represent Zimbabwe in the World Junior Championships in Barcelona, Spain, next month. Bhebhe and Mutanga were exceptional in the National Association of Secondary Heads (Nash) cross-country, track and field championships at Plumtree High School early this month.
Bhebhe and Mutanga will run the 100m and 200m races. Leading the pack in the girls’ section is Midlands athlete Sithulisiwe Zhou for the 5 000m and 1 500m. Also making it into the team are Wendy Mulenga (100m and 200m), Buhle Geza (100m and 200m), Eselia Mudenda (1 500m and 5 000m), Catherine Makhaya (Triple jump and long jump), Netsai Sabau (100m), Melissa Marambwa (100m hurdles), Rachel Majoni (400m) and Kristy Maruti (discus).
Other athletes in the team in the boys’ section include Michael Mlambo (400m and 200m), Andile Mhlanga (triple and long jump) Khuphukile Chilufya (100m), Ushe Shava (100m and 400m hurdles), Lesley Makirimani, (200m and 400m) and Tashinga Chiwazo (110m and 400m hurdles). Tashinga Chitambira (100m), Farai Chavamuperu (Javelin and shot put), Fredson Shava (100m), Gerald Machava (400m, high jump) and Tatenda Chindowa (400m) are also part of the team.
National team coach Phakamile Lisimati yesterday told NewsDay Sport that they were ready to participate in the championships.
“We are leaving the country on Wednesday (today) for the junior championships in Namibia. We have athletes who have experience as they have represented the country before. Overall, we are expecting a good performance from all athletes,” he said.
However, Lismati said the girls’ 4x100m relay team and the boys’ 4x100m and 4x 400m selection would be done in Namibia. The athletes were selected using results from the Nash championships in Plumtree while others were selected at White City Stadium, Bulawayo, last Sunday.
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Bhebhe said yesterday: “I am hoping that I will perform well and get good times as I am aiming to go to Spain for the World Junior Championships.”
