adminMzingaye Sibanda in Hwange
BULAWAYO Metropolitan Province came second to Mashonaland West in the Nestle Zimbabwe sponsored National Association of Primary Schools Heads (Naph) track and field championships held at Hwange Colliery Stadium on Thursday. Mashonaland West who scooped 12 gold, 10 silver and eight bronze medals received $5,000 and a trophy.
Bulawayo had the same number of gold medals with the winners but could only go as far as seven silver medals compared to the winners’ 10.
The City of Kings and Queens collected five bronze medals and for their efforts, they took home $3,000 and a trophy.
Masvingo scooped 11 gold, three silver and five bronze medals to take home $2,000 for a third place finish. The City of Kings were left ruing the mistakes by their relay teams who squandered two potential gold medal chances that could have seen them emerging the Naph athletics kings.
The Under-14 boys dropped a baton stick in the 4x100m relay race while their girls stumbled towards the finishing line in the same event.
Bulawayo’s Mthabisi Dube was crowned the best athlete after an individual brilliance in relays and in the 100m dash while Doroth Kavhumbura from Mashonaland East won on the girls side.
In the boys Under-13 category Ndumiso Ncube of Bulawayo clocked an amazing 26.63 seconds in the 200m sprint.
The Baines Junior School pupil scooped four gold medals which booked him a place in the Under-14 Cossasa team.
The home side Matabeleland North did not disappoint parents who had attended the event to cheer their pupils.
They managed to finish fourth with 10 gold, nine silver and 10 bronze medals while Matabeleland South managed two gold, five silver and five bronze medals to finish seventh.
Manicaland province was disqualified after they cheated, which saw all their efforts go in vain as they were docked all points and prize money to finish last. Manicaland found themselves in an embarrassing situation when one of their athletes was caught using someone else’s identity card.
Nestle Zimbabwe corporate affairs manager Farai Munetsi said he was happy with the standard exhibited and the level of professionalism shown by Naph.
“The championships were excellent, we achieved our goal, this is what we lacked in Harare. Here in Hwange the community showed support, it shows that there is a culture to support sport.
“Naph are very professional and well organised group, they can account for everything, that’s why we are going to stay with them. We want to start from the grassroots, so that we can build a team for the future,” he said.
Mashonaland Central won the Physical Education with Harare coming second while Manicaland came third.
Matabeland North maintained their fourth position, same as in athletics while Bulawayo came fifth with Mashonaland West coming sixth.
Online Reporter