The Standard 22 June 2014

Sport
The Standard June 22 to 28 2014 29
It’s still game on for Kirsty
The 30-year-old has not hit the pools since the
2012 London Olympic Games where she failed
to garner any medal largely owing to a
dislocated kneecap and a bout of pneumonia
that hampered her preparations
BY MICHAEL MADYIRA
IT is now close to two years
since Kirsty Coventry was
last involved in competitive
swimming, but the four-time
Olympian feels her career is far
from being over.
The 30-year-old has not hit
the pools since the 2012 London
Olympic Games where she failed
to garner any medal largely owing
to a dislocated kneecap and
a bout of pneumonia that hampered
her preparations.
She took a break that saw her
missing last year’s World Championship
in Barcelona.
“I had decided to take some
time off,” said Coventry.
“I am young, fit and full of
energy. I have more than a few
years left. My training will
change quite a bit.”
Concerning the next race she
will take part in, Coventry chose
to play her cards close to her
chest.
“Keep watching this space,”
she said.
Although she also has not
come out in the open on whether
she would contest at next year’s
World Championships in Russia,
she has availed herself for the
2016 Rio Olympics.
Having last won medals at the
Beijing 2008, she still harbours
chances of adding to the seven
Olympic medals she has so far.
“With Africa behind me, everything
is achievable,” she said.
“I believe it and I am going
to work hard for it. That is the
beauty about sport and business.
We all have a great chance to be
successful but these chances can
only be increased by the amount
of effort one puts in. I will be
putting in 100% effort.”
In another interview with
Standardsport in February, she
said, “If I can come sixth in two
of my races competing against
the best in the world at the London
2012 Olympics after dislocating
my kneecap and getting
pneumonia both within four
months of the Games, imagine
what I can do with a great lead
up to Rio. I am pumped to compete
at the Rio 2016 Games.”
Marriage life seems to be taking
its toll on the athlete, who appears
to have gained some kilos.
“I haven’t gained any weight,
I’m fit, healthy and feeling really
good about myself,” she said.
While she has taken off competing,
Coventry has been heavily
involved in International
Olympic Committee (IOC) Athletics
Commission business
where she is a member of that
body.
“I have been travelling quite
a bit with my role as an International
Committee Member. I
have also been keeping a low profile
so that I can focus on a few of
the business projects that I have
on the go without neglecting my
training. It has been a great couple
of months and I am really
looking forward to the next two
years.”
Has Kirsty (right) gained weight? . . . She is pictured here with fellow IOC member and
Olympic skeet shooter Danka Bartekova in Slovakia earlier this month
Fourteen juniors qualify
Rich pickings in
BY KENNETH NYANGANI
THE National Athletics Association
of Zimbabwe (Naaz) national
team junior head coach, Silas Muringani
has confirmed that only
14 athletes have qualified for the
World Junior Championships set
for the United States next month.
Muringani was confident the
14-member team was ready to do
battle and compete for top finish
in the event that runs from July 22
to 27.
The country will be represented
both in the female and male categories.
Michael Songore, who has the
best record in the 200m race, is the
most experienced athlete with the
likes of Tendai Zimuto (5 000m)
and Clide Rusinga (400m hurdles)
also in the squad.
The Muringani-coached side is
also expected to be represented in
the 4 x 100m relay by Songore, Tatenda
Musarurwa, Kudakwashe
Nyahuma and Shaun Banda.
Athletes representing the country
in the ladies category are Enlitta
Ncube (1 500m), Nyasha Mutsetse
(8 000m) and Maryjoy Mudyiravanji
(1 500m).
There is also the 4 x 100m relay
team that has the likes of Tsitsi
Mahachi, Ruvarashe Muzinde,
Mazvita Mutisi and Chido Dzinotyiwei.
Michael Songore in action recently. Picture by Frontrow
Muringani said he was optimistic
that the battle-hardened youngsters
were going to do their best to
bring home medals before adding
that preparations were going on
well.
“We would have wanted to send
about 20 athletes but it’s now very
unfortunate we are sending only
14. They are being assisted by our
coaches in their provinces but we
are going to camp in the capital on
July 15, a few days before departure,”
he said.
Rudisha to run at Glasgow Grand Prix
Olympic champion David Rudisha
is to compete at Glasgow’s
Diamond League meeting on
July 11 and 12 .
The 25-year-old Kenyan will
be making his first appearance
in the UK since breaking the
800m world record and winning
gold at London 2012.
Sprinters Shelly-Ann Fraser-
Pryce and Carmelita Jeter also
plan to run at Hampden Park.
Jamaica’s Fraser-Pryce, who
is the world and Olympic world
100m champion, is currently
troubled by a leg injury.
And the 27-year-old could miss
the Commonwealth Games, also
in Glasgow (July 23 to August 3),
if she does not recover in time
for next week’s national trials.
Jeter is the second fastest
woman of all time in 100m and
the 34-year-old American collected
three medals at London
2012.
— BBCSport
Mutare Tanganda
Half Marathon
BY KENNETH NYANGANI
Organisers of the Tanganda
Tea 21km half Marathon have
increased the prize money for
the event up from US$10 000 to
US$15 000, Standardsport can
reveal.
The event whose preparations
are at an advanced stage, will be
held in Mutare next month on
July 13 as the tournament continues
to grow in stature since
its return in 2012 after an eightyear
hiatus.
The Manicaland Athletics
Board chairman Joshua
Matume confirmed the increase
in total sponsorship package for
this year’s event.
“I am happy for Tanganda because
every year they continue
to improve their tournament.
Apart from increasing the total
sponsorship package, they also
availed a number of prizes to be
won,” he said.
The race disappeared from
the athletics calendar in 2004,
only to resurface in 2012 where
the sponsors poured in a total
budget of US$8 000 for the event.
In 2013, they upped the stakes
from US$8 000 to US$ 10 000 and
once again the tournament continues
to grow bigger and better
as this year’s budget is pegged
at US$15 000.
Last year the sponsors also
went a mile ahead by offering
additional prizes to winners
who would have managed
to break standing records in
both male and female categories
which were set in 2012 by Olympians
Sharon Tavengwa and
Wirimayi Juwawo.
Tawengwa clocked 1 hr 18 min
09 sec while Juwawo hit the ribbon
first on 1hr 2min 43sec.
Unfortunately, last year’s
winners in both male and female
categories failed to erase
the standing records with Rutendo
Nyahora clocking 1hr 18
min 43sec in the female category
while unheralded Jonathan
Chinyoka came first with a time
reading of 1hr 06min 51sec.
Both athletes received US$ 500
each for their outstanding performances
but it is still unclear
how much this year’s winner
will pocket. With the stakes having
been upped, rich pickings
are expected.
Matume acknowledged that
preparations for the event were
going on smoothly.
“I think technically, we are
now well-prepared for the event,
the officials are ready. A number
of clubs have confirmed
participation with top athletes
that include Juwawo and Cuthbert
Nyasango having already
confirmed participation as
well,” he said.
“Just like last year, Tertiary
institutions will take part in
the event and secondary schools
will take part in relays. We are
inviting tertiary institutions
and secondary schools to come
in their numbers countrywide,”
added Matume.