Fitness Zone to MAC athletes’ rescue
MBABANE – The Fitness Zone is proving to be a true friend of sport.
After coming to the rescue of the country’s national record holder in sprinter Sibusiso ‘Swazi Bolt’ Matsenjwa by availing their facilities to him, they have done the same with five athletes from the Manzini Athletics Club (MAC). Athletes were stopped from using the Mavuso Sports Centre currently under the Eswatini Investment and Trade Promotion Authority (EIPA) for free in August. Since then, they have been struggling in training. A majority of athletes who were benefitting by training at Mavuso Sports Centre are those from MAC.
MAC Coach Muzi Mabuza confirmed that The Fitness Zone had come to their rescue, as this relationship was not for the first time but started in around 2010. He said the assistance came at a time when they were desperate after athletes failed to access Mavuso Sports Centre.
“The Fitness Zone has been part of our development programme. They played a
Some of the Manzini Athletics Club athletes who are benefitting from The Fitness Zone after they allowed them to train there. huge role in making sure that athletes achieved big in international competitions, including with ‘Swazi Bolt’. We are happy that even this time around they came to our rescue,” he said.
Mabuza added that their target now was to compete effectively in the 2032
Olympics Games as ‘Swazi Bolt’ was expected to retire after 2024. Mabuza said it was important that they started developing towards the 2032 Olympic goals now, but things have turned for the worst, as they now lack training facilities.
Mabuza said they were hopeful that government would intervene and assist the athletes, but it was not the case. He said even the Eswatini Sport and Recreation Council (ESRC) had not intervened in the matter.
Athletes are now doing strength training at The Fitness Zone while for running they are using an open area without the synthetic track that they compete in.