Byo marathon team start training
THE Bulawayo Province cross country marathon team will begin their first training session at White City Stadium today as they prepare for the national championships which will be held at Hillside Dams on February 12.
The team has 36 athletes and three coaches who were selected during a cross country marathon that was held at Luveve High School last Saturday.
Bulawayo Athletics Board (BAB) chairman Manuel Mpofu said the team will also head to Hillside Dams next week so that athletes familiarise themselves with the venue.
“This will be our first training as a team and next week we will go to Hillside Dams where the competition will be held. As hosts for the national championships, the aim is to take advantage of that. We just need to get used to the venue and the route in order to improve our performance,” he said.
Meanwhile, BAB is also holding a three-day kids’ athletics coaching course at White City Stadium which started yesterday and ends tomorrow.
Mpofu said the programme is open to everyone involved in athletics or any other sporting activity.
“We are inviting anyone with interest from preschool to high school to come and take part in this coaching course as we are preparing for the athletics season.
“The programme involves fun, team work and there are no individual scoring points. Only maximum participation is required during the course.
“The equipment that will be used during the programme is user friendly and it encourages kids to take part in the programme.
“The coaches will be taught how to improvise equipment and facilitate participation of kids in the events. The most important thing is not about winning but participation, fun and skill learning,” Mpofu said.
He also said the coaching course is one of the moves being taken by the board to equip athletics coaches as they are embarking on identifying and nurturing talent at grassroots level. — @khumzallen