2018 Youth games preparations begin

Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
PREPARATIONS for the 2018 Zimbabwe National Youth Games to be held in the Midlands province have been set in motion with the setting up of key operational dates and strategies beginning next week with the signing of a National Games Protocol Agreement.

This was revealed by National Youth Games projects manager Martin Dururu at the evaluation assembly for the 2017 games at a Gweru hotel this week.

The assembly was attended by general managers of the 17 provinces (10 geographical and seven virtual provinces) as well as competition directors of all the games’ sport codes and was officially opened by Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture Minister Makhosini Hlongwane.

The official appointment of the local organising committee will be done on October 31, with November 4 set aside for the committee’s induction.

“Development of the games hosting plan, approval of games theme, approval of games mascot and theme song, submission of games hosting budget and official invitation to provinces will be done tentatively on November 30. We will have our second general assembly and follow up on inspection of games’ sites at the end of February next year; the same time that we expect provinces to enter their teams by numbers and sport codes,” said Dururu.

Provinces are expected to make their 50 percent payment of affiliation fees by March 31 next year to kick start hosting of the ward games in all the country’s 1 963 wards in line with the community sports and recreation club system.

Constituency and district games will be held on April 30 and May 31, 2018 respectively, with provincial games set for June 30; the same day technical officials will be appointed.

“Provisional entry by name, payment of the remaining 50 percent balance should be done by July 15, which will give the hosting province ample time to plan. We will have our final accreditation of teams and officials by the end of that month,” Dururu said.

Hlongwane expressed satisfaction with the early preparations for the games by Midlands and called for a 360 degree approach to planning for the games.

The evaluation assembly was also attended by Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) board member Joseph Mungwari and SRC acting director general Joseph Muchechetere.

Meanwhile, Bulawayo province might again co-host the swimming event unless the Loc secures about $300 000 to purchase a heating system for the Gweru City pools since the town is known for its low temperatures during the Youth Games period.