Bindura comes alive as Youth Games start

have confirmed their participation in this year’s competition and will be battling out in athletics, soccer, basketball, boxing, handball, tennis, volleyball and netball for honours.
The Games will run until August 11 and the Local Organising Committee have spread the competition’s venues to various districts with a view of accommodating all the stakeholders who are set to grace this year’s Games.
Harare have for the past years dominated the National Youth Games but will face stiff competition from the other nine provinces who have vowed to dethrone them this time around.
Harare Metropolitan manager for the Youth Games, Nathaniel Madzivanyika, is confident their team will excel.
“We have been in camp for the past three weeks at Churchill and Roosevelt and we are breaking camp tomorrow (today) as we will be travelling to Bindura.
“We will be having a send-off ceremony tomorrow (today) morning and we will be addressed by the Governor of our province before leaving for the hosting province.
“We are looking forward to another fruitful outing at the Youth Games. We have been coming tops at the previous editions and we want to mark our dominance in the Games in style,” said Madzivanyika.
Madzivanyika noted the absence of some of their experienced officials but remained confident of posting good results.
“Most of our officials are teachers and headmasters and some of them are heavily involved in the census programme but we will not let that affect our performance.
“Our athletes are enthusiastic about the Games and we are ready for the challenge,” added Madzivanyika.
Secretary for Harare Athletic Board, Silas Muringani, is also confident of a medal haul at this year’ Games.
“My team is looking good and we have retained most of the athletes who represented the province in the previous games in Gwanda.
“We have the likes of Tinashe Mutanga, Tawanda Washaya, Tsitsi Mahachi, Buhle Geza, Racheal Majoni who have been there before and we will be counting on their experience for medals.
“Boys” captain Jonathan Brown will be marking his debut at this year’s Games and we are expecting him to do well in the 100m and 200m sprints.
“We are targeting 11 gold medals and we can defend our title,” said Muringani.