The ManicaPost
Ray Bande Senior Sports Reporter
YOUNG Rusape-based Tanaka Hove’s dream of partaking in the World Cross Country championships in Uganda were shattered after the deadline day for registration passed before he could secure a travelling document.
Registration for the World Cross Country championships in Uganda was closed last Tuesday at the regional centre in Kenya.
The 18-year-old Hove ruled the roost in the National Cross Country race held at Dam Site in Bulawayo recently to earn a ticket to represent the country in the World Cross Country championships in Uganda, but the trip could not materialise as he did not have a passport.
Last minute efforts to secure a passport for the youngster were futile as the deadline day for registration was last Tuesday and passed before travelling documents could be secured.
Braid Nhubu, the National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe director for youth athletics, told Weekender Sport that Hove would no longer be travelling to Uganda for the World Cross Country championships.
“He is no longer travelling to Uganda since he does not have a passport. We tried to secure a passport for him, but the challenge we had was that the deadline for registration for the World Cross Country championships in Uganda was last Tuesday and there is really no way we could have secured the document in time for registration.
“He is not the only one. Progress Dirorimwe of Mamunyadza High in Buhera also had a similar challenge.
However, for Progress it is better as she can still qualify for the COSASA race and the Africa Youth Championships to be held in June in Kenya,” he said.
The Sanzaguru Form Four student – Hove – won the 8km race during the National Cross Country, while his Buhera female counterpart, Progress Dirorimwe did the same in the 6km junior women category.
