The Nationwide Athletics Affiliation of Zimbabwe have moved their awards to subsequent yr.
The occasion was initially pencilled for final November.
Nevertheless, NAAZ president Tendayi Tagara mentioned it was now anticipated to happen within the first quarter of 2025.
“The preparation of the awards is accomplished by way of the technical elements, collection of athletes, short-listing them, officers, and coaches. That has already been achieved.
“We’re ready for the finalisation by way of the finances for the occasion. That is what we at the moment are engaged on, and we’re pushing for the occasion to be within the first two months of the yr in 2025.
“Undoubtedly we’re going to have the occasion; that is what we’re finalising, the executive a part of it,” mentioned Tagara.
The nationwide awards returned on the NAAZ calendar this yr with the athletics mom physique honouring athletes who excelled in 2023.
The awards had been shelved for greater than 20 years. Among the classes to be awarded embody Athlete of the Yr, Senior Males Athlete of the Yr, and Senior Ladies Athlete of the Yr.
It is the identical situation for the juniors — women and men. The affiliation will even honour excellent coaches and officers, amongst different classes. Among the favourites for the 2024 awards are sprinters Tapiwanashe Makarawu and Makanakaishe Charamba.
The USA-based athletes had an impressive season, with the key spotlight being their qualification and participation on the Paris 2024 Olympic Video games in August.
They reached the lads’s 200m last on the Video games. Makarawu had, in June, gained a silver medal within the 200m for Zimbabwe on the Africa Senior Championships in Cameroon.
They’re more likely to be joined by marathon runner Isaac Mpofu, who positioned nineteenth on the Paris 2024 Olympics. Mpofu is the reigning Athlete of the Yr from the earlier awards.
Triple jumper Chengetayi Mapaya can be among the many high runners after claiming a silver medal on the Africa Senior Championships.
United States-based Vimbayi Maisvorewa and Ashley Kamangirira are among the many favourites to be honoured within the senior ladies’s part. Kamangirira reached the 400m hurdles finals on the continental meet in Cameroon.
Tagara mentioned they continue to be optimistic as they shift focus to 2025. NAAZ lately held coaches and officers’ programs in Bulawayo to arrange for the brand new season.
“The programs in Bulawayo went on nicely. We had a full home for the Stage Two course.
“We had coaches from Zambia, Malawi, Kenya, Botswana, and Eswatini; that made up the category, plus Zimbabweans.
“The Stage One, which was carried out by Lisimati Phakamile, had 37 members, after which the technical officers had 67 members for the TOECS (Technical Officers Schooling and Certification System) course.
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“We’re completely happy for the coaches who turned up for Stage One and TOECS as a part of their preparation for the 2025 season as a result of some needed to put together their athletes earlier than colleges closed.” They’re taking a look at holding extra programs early within the yr, in 2025.
“We at the moment are planning for an additional course on the finish of January, as officiating programs begin in February. We had some coaches who couldn’t make it as a result of some have been out marking examinations for ZIMSEC.
“So, we’re organising one other course on the finish of January as a part of our preparations for the 2025 season. In April we will likely be having Stage Two programs.
“So, we’re fairly busy by way of preparation for these issues,” Tagara mentioned.
