The Sunday News
Lovemore Dube Sunday News Correspondent
DARRYL Anderson a top track and field coach based at the Texas Christian University in the United States will conduct a coaching clinic in Bulawayo at the end of the month. The revered mentor has coached numerous athletes at the Olympics, World Championships, national championships, Commonwealth Games, World Student Games and numerous other high profile outings.
His visit to Zimbabwe has been facilitated by one of his former athletes and friend Arnold Payne of Arnold Payne Global Sports International. “This is one way of giving back to my city and country. I hope from this small gesture we can lay the foundation for a future national champion who will rise to international stardom. I am proud to be playing that facilitatory role for the future of athletics back home,” said Payne from his Arizona base on Friday.
Anderson will run the workshop meant to tutor athletes, administrators and coaches to appreciate the dynamics and business environment that athletics has turned out to be. He will lecture on the latest training and coaching techniques. Young athletes who are academically talented will also have a chance to impress in order to earn scholarships to the US.
“We will run trials for athletes and we hope we can be able to get a couple coming on scholarships. They will get a good education and an opportunity to train at world class facilities,” said Payne who in 2003 facilitated Lewis Banda’s scholarship. Banda went on to better Payne’s 45.2 seconds in the 400m running a blistering 44.5 that still stands.
“There are so many such boys waiting to be discovered and nurtured. Our approach also seeks to empower the coaches who work with athletes back home and we are happy Tendai Tagara of the National Athletics Federation and provincial boss Manuel Mpofu have given us the thumbs up,” said Payne.
Tagara confirmed that they had given the initiative the greenlight and that they were convinced that Payne would impart a lot he had learnt in the US where he is also a coach with Anderson. Mpofu described the development as a breakthrough for Bulawayo to have a person of Anderson’s stature, visiting.
“It is a step in the right direction. We are calling on our athletes, coaches, teachers and administrators to attend this end of the month workshop and trials,” said Mpofu.
Anderson’s accomplishments
Dwight Phillips: Olympic Long Jump Champion and four-time World Champion
Tim Harden: 9.9 seconds 100 metres
Lewis Banda: 44.58 seconds for 400 metres and Zimbabwe National Record Holder
Arnold Payne: 45.2 seconds for 400 meters and former Zimbabwe National Record Holder
Charles Silmon: 9.89 seconds 100 metres
Ronnie Baker: 9.9 seconds
Marcus Brunson: 9.9 seconds 100 metres
Jackson Langat: 1 minute 46 seconds 800 meters
Virgil Hodge: Saint Kitts 11.2 100 metres womens National Record
Jackie Johnson National Heptathlete Champion
Justyn Warner: Canada 10.09 seconds 100 metres
Connie Teaberry: 1.95 metres women’s high jump.
