First track and field event for the weekend

By Ntokozo Magongo

Athletes are set to compete in the first track and field competitions for 2023 on Sunday to be hosted by the Athletics Eswatini (AE) at Mavuso Sports Centre.

The track events to be hosted include 400m, 3 000m, 100m, 5 000m, 800m, 200m, 1 500m 4X100m and 4X400m while the field events will feature high jump, javelin, discus, long jump and shot put. 

Registration is already open and the first event will start at 8 am. AE Public Relations Officer (PRO) Victor ‘Mavikane’ Dlamini said they were expecting all clubs to register their athletes for the event as they are in preparations for the national championships to be held mid-year.

“We are hopeful that clubs have already prepared their athletes for the event and they must register before the registration deadline on Thursday. We are expecting a full house especially this being the first track and field event for the year,” he said.

The country’s elite athletes who are out of the country training at the High-Performance Centre (HPC) in Pretoria, South Africa are expected to be back to the competitions. They are sprinters, Sibusiso ‘Swazi Bolt’ Matsenjwa, Bongiwe Mahlalela and Menziwokuhle Msibi among others. 

The programme:

8am -8:20am: 400m/ High Jump and Long Jump
8:25am – 8:45am: 3 000m
8:50am – 9:20am: 100m
9:55am – 10am: 5 000m/ Discus
10:05am – 10:20am: 200m
10:30am – 11am: 1 500m/ javelin
11:15am – 11:50am: 4x 100m
11:55am – 12:30am: 4x400m