Harare ready for track, field champs

IT'S finally here.

The JM Busha Open Track and Field Championships triangular series takes off tomorrow with the first leg at the National Sports Stadium B Arena.

The event is being organised by the National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe and sponsored by JM Busha 54 Races. The championships will have three competitions with the first one in Harare.

The second leg is on March 11 in Bulawayo at White City stadium before athletes return to Harare for the final leg on May 25.

Athletes will be required to run all the three series to score points and the best 16, based on their times in each event, will compete in the finals and win money prizes.

Tomorrow's competition is one of the events being bankrolled by JM Busha 54 Races, a non-profit organisation involved in social investment programmes aimed at promoting sport, education, peace and unity.

Harare Athletics Board secretary-general, Silas Muringani, said they are ready to host the meet, which is expected to attract some of the country's top athletes.

“I am quite positive, the preparations are going on well. What is only left is for the athletes to come for registration.

“This one is actually a unique type of competition. Because of the prize money we expect a huge turnout. It's actually the first track and field event in as many years to have a prize money.

“It's a two-dimension competition. First it brings quality to the event and secondly it's a motivation for athletes to know that they can actually get something,” said Muringani.

JM Busha came on board last month to support athletics and their partnership with NAAZ is expected to run for four years with a sponsorship of $300 000 on average per year.

Besides the track and field championships, they are also set to financially support two major marathons in May and July this year as well as the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games marathon project.

The final track and field event is on May 25 at the National Sports Stadium will coincide with the JM Busha 42km marathon.

It's one of the 54 races intended throughout the African continent.

The event is open to individuals and clubs with registration set for tomorrow morning at the competition venue.

Events on offer include the 5 000m, 3 000m, 1500m, 800m, 400m, 200, 100m, 4x100m and 4x400m relays.

For the field events, athletes will fight for honours in high jump, long jump, triple jump, shot put, javelin and discuss.