Africa's 2026 World Cup qualifiers: Mozambique's Mambas down Botswana in Francistown
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Since yesterday, the city of Chimoio has been the capital of Mozambican athletics.
More than 500 competitors, male and female, junior and senior, representing clubs and various provinces are gathered there for the National Athletics Championships, which run until next Sunday.
The president of the Mozambican Athletics Federation, Shafee Sidat, says that this is the most representative event of all time, with the highest number of participants since he became head of the sports body.
Sidat says he expects to see competitive events right up until the last day. Without revealing actual amounts, Sidat said that, although the championship has no sponsor, winners at all levels would receive cash prizes, with mobile phones for seniors too.
Of the athletes participating, 210 were sponsored by the Mozambican Athletics Federation, Sidat stressed, which, in partnership with the Chimoio Municipal Council, had made improvements to the running track prior to the event.
The Provincial Association of Athletics of Manica would also receive materials used in the competition, such as weights, nets, discusses and other items.
Triple jump, high jump, long jump, discus, javelin and hammer, 110-meter hurdles, 100, 400, 800 and 1,500 metre races feature at the event.
Yesterday and today, male and female youth squad are in contention. On Thursday and Friday, the junior athletes will be on the track, while seniors will compete on Saturday and Sunday, Sidat says.
Building friendships
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Chimoio Municipal Council President Rául Conde Marques Adriano called on the delegates to foster friendships and enhance their modalities. “We expect every athlete to demonstrate their qualities during the championship, for the sake of athletics,” he said.
Conde took the occasion to praise President Nyusi’s efforts in the search of peace, highlighting the head of state’s visit to the Serra de Gorongosa in Sofala to meet Renamo leader Afonso Dhlakama to strengthen the dialogue between the two.
He stressed that it was thanks to these efforts that all the delegations present in Manica were able to travel to the event by land, enjoying the country’s beautiful scenery.
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Athletes from nearly everywhere in the country were in Chimoio yesterday, with only those from Tete still to arrive.
Teams from Ferroviários de Maputo, Mahotas, Beira and Nampula, Universidades Pedagógícas de Maputo, Gaza and Manica, Matchedje de Maputo, Desportivo de Maputo, Atletico de Inhambane, groups from Mafambisse, Bagamoyo and Maputo, Desportivo de Pemba, Eduardo Mondlane de Chimoio, Correr é Meu Sonho (Lichinga, Zambezia and Maputo provinces), Sports Club de Chimoio and Escola Secundária de Nampula were in the Manica capital.
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