adminSamuel Kadungure Senior Weekender Reporter
THE NASH provincial athletics competitions held at Vengere High in Rusape last week produced four budding marbles who distinctively displayed nerves of steel and made their presence felt in spite of the tough competition they faced from other students drawn from across the province.
Seven districts — Makoni, Mutasa, Nyanga, Chimanimani, Mutare, Buhera and Chipinge — battled it out for honours at Vengere High in an exciting two-day event in which the host district emerged overall winners after bagging the majority of gold medals.
However, it was the assiduous display by athletes Justice Dodzo (Hillcrest College), Rutendo Simupere (Mavhudzi High), Caroline Mhandu (Mamunyadza) and Tinotenda Gwikwi (St Faith High) that added colour, glamour and excitement to the competitions.
Gwikwi, Simupere and Dodzo showcased rare talents on the track, bagging the gold medals in the 100 metres, 200 meters and 400 meters.
The athletes are now part of Team Manicaland that will compete in the NASH national competitions in Chiredzi on March 19 and 20.
The Team Manicaland started camp at Checheche, Chipinge, on Tuesday.
As an acknowledgment of his talent and achievement, Simupere was slotted in the Team Zimbabwe Under 17 that will be competing in Mauritius soon.
The trio sprinters displayed their mental, emotional and physical strength and determination throughout the two day event that concluded last Friday.
The energetic youngsters ran, jumped, punched the air and threw their hearts in every race and won the hearts and adoration of even the most pretentious spectators and guests. Their athleticism forced everyone to jump from their seats in jubilation to whistle and ululate as they accelerate towards the finishing line.
Caroline emerged as the only most talented young long distance runner among the hosts of female competitors as she ruthlessly mowed down any challenge in the 1 500, 5 000 and 8 000 metres races.
The diminutive Buhera marathon runner, who trains thrice a day, competed in every long distance event going and maintaining an incredibly high level of performance through it all.
She however, revealed that her journey to the top has been far from ordinary or serene and was yet to reach her potential.
Caroline, currently studying at Mamunyadza High, in Buhera, has been awarded a coveted scholarship to pursue and chisel her athletic talent in the United States.
The 19 year-old took up athletics at a tender age of 12, and hailing from a poor peasant family — the diminutive runner never knew what the future will hold for her athletic career.
She has emulated former Hillcrest College female athlete Ruvarashe Mzinde who also won an American scholarship.
Ruvarashe attended the event as a guest athlete and had offer her compatriot some words of encouragement. The former Hillcrest College student is no doubt a golden achiever destined for great things on the track.
Her competitive athletics career started in 2010 when she was in Form Two and made it to the U-16 national athletics team in the 100m and 200m individual medley’s where I won gold medals. In 2011, she scooped gold medals at the nationals for the same events still in the U-16 category. In 2012she captained the national athletics team and won gold medals in the 100m and 200m individual medley’s and silver the 4 x 100m relay medley.
Caroline had this to say: “It is true that I have been awarded a scholarship to pursue my career in America. I fully understand that the road to the top will be hard, gruelling and immensely challenging, yes! But that will not deter me. I am already speaking and visualising titles”.
Simupere expressed optimism that his career would blossom after a sterling performance that gate-crushed him into Team Zimbabwe.
“I am looking forward to it. I have been training all alone, and it has been tall order. I am now going into the hands of professional coaches and this marks the beginning of even greater achievements and accolades,” said Simupere.
Simupere hopes the exposure will earn him a scholarship too.
Simupere, Dodzo and Gwikwi believe with professional coaching and self discipline, they will definitely follow Caroline and Ruvarashe footsteps and be the future athletes for Zimbabweans to count on.
Brian Nhubu, who is in charge of the athletics team, hailed the four athletes for a rare fighting spirit.
“They hold the future for Zimbabwe. Simupere has been selected for Mauritius as one of Team Zimbabwe athletes. Tinotenda Gwikwi, Caroline Mhandu and Ruvarashe Mzinde are on the long list for Team Zimbabwe for the All Africa Games and we are sharpening them because their fate will be determined by qualifying times per each event. They have to beat records.
“Their technical acumen is good, and we will continue preparing them through the NASH, NAAZ and other national competitions,” said Nhubu.
NASH has introduced a professional approach to athletics with the majority of the athletes competing in the requisite spikes and uniforms and like in the national events, introduced other events such as hurdles and other throws like javeline, shot put and discus.
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