Cross Country tourney now set for next month in Moshi

Tanzanian runners compete in a past athletics championship. PHOTO | FILE

What you need to know:

  • The championship will now take place on February 4 in Moshi, Kilimanjaro instead of this month as earlier announced.
  • AT secretary general Wilhelm Gidabuday confirmed yesterday that they postponed the championship at the request of regional athletics associations.

Dar es Salaam. Athletics Tanzania (AT) has announced new dates for this year’s national Cross Country championship.

The championship will now take place on February 4 in Moshi, Kilimanjaro instead of this month as earlier announced.

AT secretary general Wilhelm Gidabuday confirmed yesterday that they postponed the championship at the request of regional athletics associations.

“We would like to inform athletics stakeholders and the general public that the national Cross Country championship will be held in Kilimanjaro on February 4,” Gidabuday said.

He said the decision to reschedule the championship was reached during a meeting of the national athletics governing body’s executive committee in Dar es Salaam last week. According to Gidabuday, the associations had asked for more time to organise regional athletics competitions, which usually precede the national championship.

The national championship features runners who perform impressively in the regional competitions.

Gidabuday said the associations will use the regional events to select runners who would represent their respective regions in the Moshi championship.

Athletes who will sparkle at the Moshi championship would constitute the bulk of the national team for the IAAF World Cross Country Championship to be held in Kampala, Uganda on March 26. Traditionally, the World Cross Country Championships features four races: men’s 12km, women’s 8km, boys’ 8km and girls’ 6km.

The AT official said runners who will form the national team for the Kampala championship would be selected on merit.

He said he was optimistic local athletes would make a mark in the championship, which features the crème of runners from various countries across the world.