With lower than six months earlier than the 2024 Paris Olympics kicks off in France, the Zimbabwe Olympics Committee (Zimbabwe Olympics Committee) continues to be hopeful that extra athletes can qualify so as to add to the acquiring numbers.
At present second, solely two athletes have certified for Paris 2024, long-distance runner Issac Mpofu and rower Stephen Cox.
Zimbabwe had 5 athletes through the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the bottom ever representatives as in comparison with all of the earlier editions.
Initially, ZOC had set a goal of sending ten particular person athletes and one group sport however the dream appears to be in useless as all group sports activities have failed and hope is now on a couple of particular person athletes in swimming and athletics.
“We’re nonetheless hoping for eight or extra athletes to qualify, our goal was ten and we stay optimistic that we are going to have extra athletes qualifying.
“There may be nonetheless sufficient qualifying time in different sporting disciplines like athletics and swimming which is able to finish in June.
“So we’re giving them sufficient help we are able to, by way of the solidarity funding however nonetheless it isn’t sufficient.
“We’re doing our greatest to work with totally different nationwide sports activities federations and assist every the place there’s a probability for his or her athletes to qualify and see how greatest we are able to chip in,” stated Rick Fulton who’s the chairman for technical and improvement on the ZOC on Monday throughout a press convention held in Harare.
Already Stephen Cox and Issac Mpofu have began their intense preparation for the worldwide occasion.
Cox is at the moment in Australia the place he’s going by way of his coaching whereas Mpofu is tenting in Harare.
Though there’s numerous criticism on why Mpofu is conducting his coaching camp in Harare as an alternative of going to international international locations which have related climate circumstances to host nation France, the long-distance runner advised the media on Monday that he’s pleased with coaching in Harare.
He stated, “I feel the atmosphere does not contribute a lot, it is all about your mindset as a person as a result of, on the finish of the day, all I must do is imagine in myself and work arduous.
“Persons are at all times asking why I’m not going to do my coaching camp in international locations like Kenya however actually I’m okay right here in Zimbabwe.”