All roads lead to Victoria Falls for sports event

OVER 1200 athletes are expected to arrive in Victoria Falls today in what is probably the largest sports tourism figure to hit the city.

The 2024 National Association of Secondary School Heads athletics championships will get underway in Victoria Falls tomorrow evening parading some of the best talent Zimbabwe has.

Each province is expected to bring 120 athletes chosen after a gruelling process in which athletes were taken through house, inter-house, inter-schools and inter-district championships culminating in the selection of strong provincial select teams.

Outstanding athletes will be shortlisted for the regional championships team.

This is the ultimate event for youth athletics in the country as fireworks on the track are expected, with urban provinces Bulawayo and Harare expected to shine in field events too.

Bulawayo Province who are enjoying good sponsorship, arrived in Victoria Falls late yesterday high in confidence because of a morale boosting sponsorship by Bakers Inn.

The team which had been set to sleep in classrooms at Mosi Oa Tunya, was bailed out by the leading bakery and confectionery company that has invested millions into a bakery in the city as a sign of confidence in the community.

The athletes have been provided with hotel accommodation, food and transport catered for. On Sunday, the athletes were presented with tracksuits and T-shirts and morale was high with team captains Mzie Ncube and Esnat Ndlovu promising to do Bulawayo proud at the send-off ceremony at a local school, where top management from the provincial education offices and Bakers Inn were in attendance.

Sikhumbuzo Ndlovu, the chairman in charge of athletics in the province under Nash, said they are prepared for the event and were looking forward to gold medals.

Bakers Inn general manager, Amos Phiri disclosed that winners in Victoria Falls who are representing Bulawayo will pocket US$100, runners-up US$50 and third placed US$25 plus complimentary bread for up to three months for the gold medallist. This appears to have been the right tonic to send the athletes into high spirit as there is something to fight for, which is not for the school nor parents. But great times, lengths and heights should be the motivation for all athletes.