adminNgqwele Dube Sports Correspondent
MORE than 170 athletes will represent Zimbabwe at the 2016 Confederation of Universities and College Sports Association Africa Region Five Games scheduled for next month in Bulawayo. A total of 10 countries from Southern Africa are expected to converge on the city for the biennial games that involve college athletes. Zimbabwe Tertiary Institution Sports Union president Martin Zibwi said the team selection process was complete and 177 athletes would represent Zimbabwe in the nine disciplines at the regional showcase that will run from 1 to 6 August.
The selection process follows the hosting of the Ztisu Games in the city last month that were won by the Zimbabwe Universities Sports Association (Zusa).
“Preparations for the games are going on well and today (Friday) we finalised the selection of the athletes that will represent the country. Those chosen have shown they are able and we are certain they will be able to do the country proud and ensure as the host nation we come tops in the games,” said Zibwi.
The nine sporting codes that would be contested by both genders are football, basketball, tennis, table tennis, chess, athletics, netball, karate and volleyball.
Zibwi said the team would be going into camp on 27 July and hopes the coaches would be able to utilise the short period to fine tune their teams.
However, the team would not go into camp due to financial constraints.
Zibwi said they had managed to secure most of the equipment they would be using from the Ministry of Sport and Recreation although there were some they were yet to get.
“We have set 15 July as the deadline to have all the equipment in order, secured the venues, paid the service providers and also received the team regalia.”
Online Reporter