Author: JAMES NGOYE
AfricaPress-Tanzania: ATHLETES from 28 regions will be on track at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium today to spice up the National Athletics Championship.
Only four regions were yet to confirm for the biggest athletics event until late yesterday. Organized by Athletics Tanzania (AT) in cooperation with Tanzania Olympic Committee (TOC), this year’s competition will involve both track and field events.
The two-day competition has drawn 300 athletes from 28 regions, according to the federation’s Information and Communication Officer, Tullo Chambo.
Chambo named the four regions that sadly missed this event as Rukwa, Katavi, Lindi and Mtwara. Speaking about preparations of this year’s championship, Chambo said that everything was on track.
“Preparations are going on well as already, over 90 per cent of the preparations have been covered to-date,” he said.
He further added all participants are required to report at the Dar es Salaam University College of Education (DUCE), where all athletes, who will compete in the two-day championship, will be accommodated.
According to AT, the event which is among the national level competition, aims to pick the best athletes for the national teams.
The athletes will vie for medals in 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 5,000m and 10,000m races and as well as 4×100 and 4X400 events. Apart from race, there will be long jump and triple jump.
The previous championship was held in Mwanza region where Unguja South emerged the overall winners.
TOC, who have partnered with AT in this year’s championship will facilitate the event with support from Olympic Solidarity (OS) and Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA).
And, TOC will assist AT to train athletes, who will be picked from the championship and later sent them to compete in various Olympics qualifications events.
To-date, only two athletes; Alphonce Simbu and Failuna Matanga have met the Olympic Games qualification standards.
