Sundaymail Editor
Sports Reporter
NATIONAL champion Thabani Mathe has set his sights on retaining the Zimbabwe Badminton Open title and qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
He is favourite to win the tournament, which he last won in 2019 before domestic sporting activities were halted due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Mathe is set to feature in the men’s singles, men’s doubles and the mixed doubles categories.
“The competition is another edition of the Zimbabwe Badminton Open that I will be defending on May 28.
“Qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics is my second target for this year at the moment,” he said.
The 25-year-old is optimistic and also looking forward to putting his name on the global stage in his quest for international recognition.
“I am just trying to make it known that there is someone in Zimbabwe who is making badminton a known sport across the world, like what Minister (Kirsty) Coventry did with swimming and Brian Dzingai with athletics.
“They made names for themselves using sport and that is my goal …
“The sport itself is still developing, it’s growing, and I am one of the pioneers of that growth.”
He is eager to win more international badminton accolades.
“My goal is to be in the Hall of Fame like all the decorated athletes in the country.”
He is already a two-time bronze medallist at the All-Africa Junior Championships, which were held in Mauritius and South Africa in 2015 and 2016, respectively.
But his ultimate goal is qualification for the Olympics.
A huge turnout of participants at the national championships could be the first step to prove that interest in badminton has indeed been revived.
Online Reporter