Tanzania: Athletics Body Promise to Pick Best Games Team

Tanzania Daily News (Dar es Salaam)

3 May 2011

ATHLETICS Tanzania (AT) is determined to pick the best national team during an open tournament on Friday and Saturday at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam ahead of the All Africa and Olympic Games.

AT Secretary General, Suleiman Nyambui said on Tuesday that preparations for the event are progressing well and that only runners with the best time will be considered to make a cut into the national team squad.

“We will pick a national team that will compete in the East and Central Africa championships, which the country will host in June, All Africa Games, World Athletics meet and next year’s Olympic Games, therefore we need to have the best athletes,” he observed.

He said the athletes to be picked at the championship and that of inter-secondary schools games will undergo an intensive training program, ultimate goal being to have in store the well trained upcoming runners, who will bring changes in the athletics.

Nyambui said so far Zanzibar have confirmed send more than 30 athletes, while the AT was still contacting those from the armed forces teams to get their exact numbers as well as those from all Mainland regions.

Nyambui told the ‘Daily News’ that they will also use the occasion to test the equipment to be used during the nine countries regional championship from June 3-5 at the same venue.

Nyambui said that they would capitalize on the hosting advantage to field a good number of athletes.

“We are planning to field a team of at least 40-athletes during the championship,” said Nyambui.

For the local athletes, the regional meet will be part of their preparations for the 2012 Olympic Games to be held in London, England as well as All Africa Games set for Maputo, Mozambique this September.

Nyambui said Tanzanian athletes will compete in half marathon, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1500, 5,000 and 10,000 metres during the competition and that the organizing committee has instructed them to delete walk race from the list.

He was optimistic that, this time around, the local athletes will not afford another dismal show at the championship, which is among the major athletics events in Africa.

Nyambui named other countries lined up for the meet as Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, Egypt and Zanzibar.

AllAfrica – All the Time