Zimbabwe: Baye Bemoan Lack of Competition for Paralympians

TEAM Zimbabwe coach at the just-ended Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, Mildred Baye, has said exposure prior to the competition would have given the athletes better preparations.

Pamela Shumba and Vimbai Zvinowanda represented the country in athletics and both bowed out in the first round.

Zvinowanda came fifth in the 200m T47 in 28.60 seconds, in Heat Three setting a new personal best but it could not propel her to the final that was held on the same day.

It was the same story with Shumba in the 100m T12, where she also bowed out in the first round despite also setting a new personal best.

Baye said the athletes did well under the circumstances.

"Since it's their first time they have done their personal best. They will improve if they give themselves time to train harder.

"Exposure prior to the Games was going to help in improving their personal best," said Baye.

The two athletes qualified for the Games early this year when they got the opportunity to attend a qualifying event in Dubai.

However, their build-up to the Games was characterised by lack of competition, which is key in any competition as it helps athletes to measure themselves against their counterparts and push themselves for better times.

Going forward Baye said more national competitions and exchange programmes are critical in addressing issues to do with talent identification and exposure for athletes.

"More national competition will help in talent identification, involvement of different disability categories and for athlete exchange programmes with other countries," said Baye.

With just three years to Paris 2024, the Zimbabwean coach said if the country is to get better results at the Games, the time for preparation is now.

Chef de mission to the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, Ignatius Vambe, said the Covid-19 pandemic also limited their efforts towards preparations.

"You can see that each athlete posted her personal best, meaning had the girls been exposed to more competition at that level they definitely would have done much better. But due to the pandemic there was very little we could have done.

"There is need for early preparations for 2024. Preparations should start now, there is no time we need to identify the athletes and start working on them now.

"The girls proved that it's possible to participate and win at that level but we need to work closely with ZNPC (Zimbabwe National Paralympic Committee) to achieve success," said Vambe.

The Games curtain came down on the Tokyo Paralympics Games on Sunday.

This article originally appeared on The Herald

Photo: The Herald