Bulawayo ready for challenge

ESNAT Ndlovu and Mzie Ncube, will lead the Bakers Inn sponsored Bulawayo Province National Association of Secondary School Heads (Nash) athletics team at the high schools track and field championships in Victoria Falls, beginning today.

The road to Zimbabwe’s prime tourism centre was abuzz with activity yesterday, as provincial athletics representatives made their way from all corners of Zimbabwe.

Ndlovu, who is the girls’ team captain, promised a medal harvest, free of performance enhancing substances, at the send-off ceremony on Sunday.

“We pledge to do our best. We promise not to be involved in drugs to enhance our performances,” said the long distance runner, who is also a useful cog in the 4x400m relay team.

Ncube also promised a good show by the provincial team, whom he said were boosted in their morale by the coming in of Bakers Inn as sponsors.

Bulawayo Province, who in the last six weeks were on an intensive talent identification and nurturing exercise, had their confidence boosted when the leading bakery and confectionery came aboard as sponsors.

They announced that winners of gold medals at the national finals from Bulawayo will pocket US$100, runners-up US$50 and US$25 for the third finisher in any final. This incentive also has months of supply of bread.

Bulawayo athletes will find themselves fighting for gold and better times (Standards) in their respective events, as this is the African and World Junior Championships selection season. To add to that a Zimbabwe schools team for the African regional championships will be shortlisted.

Bulawayo Province have had enough time to acclimatise having arrived at the resort city late on Monday afternoon, courtesy of their sponsors.

Unlike other schools, they have been booked at a hotel by Bakers Inn.

Speaking at the send-off ceremony, Amos Phiri, the Bakers Inn general manager, said: “We are gathered here to send off a great team of champions selected from all angles of our Metropolitan Province of Bulawayo, who without doubt are going to represent us well with a great display of Ubuntu Bethu.

“We have been part of the journey from inter-house, inter-schools and inter-district competitions and now we are going to inter-provincials.

“Accommodation for our athletes and officials is ready for them in Victoria Falls and unlike in the past where athletes would sleep on the floor, this time around they will be sleeping on comfortable beds,” said Phiri.

Sprinters Tawananyasha Bakare, Thembelihle Ncube, Andile Hleza, Mzie Ncube, Natalia Payipi, Nonhlanhla Dube, Siphiwe Sibanda, Happiness Dube, Rutendo Mawutsi, Basil Jele, Prince Moyo, Methembe Tshuma, Esnat Ndlovu, Thandazani Ndlovu, Grace Banda, Liam Holland, Amos Mhodyo, Thubalami Moyo, Petty Gwaringa carry the hopes of a province keen to move from last year’s tail end into the top three.

In the long and middle distances, Dumisani Tshuma, Xolile Vundla, Shayne Makota, Rejoice Kuchicha, Dalumuzi Nkomo, Iphithule Mhlanga, Shelton Ncube, Blessing Moyo, Patrick Mangwiro, Esnat Ndlovu, Ayanda Maphosa, Talent Dube and Andrew Ndlovu, who ran a 32 minutes 57.43 seconds 10 000m, made it into the team.

Not much is expected in the high jump event, but the team is expected to score in the hurdles, long and triple jump.

Bulawayo will be up against a strong Harare, Mashonaland and Midlands sides that have always been consistently producing gems at junior level.

The competition ends tomorrow with the relays and shortlisting of the Zimbabwe Schools team.

Bulawayo athletes have all the reasons to go for gold, as they have had the best preparations and morale booster from Bakers Inn. The onus is now on the individuals to rise and be counted among the successful pioneers of the sponsorship deal.

Regional sales and marketing manager of Bakers Inn, Clackson Masakwa, Bhekumuzi Dube the Nash provincial boss, and Sikhumbuzo Ndlovu, the headmaster in charge of athletics, led the team that left for Victoria Falls on Monday. Should the athletics team excel, they may as well consider sponsorship for ball games secured, as the bakery has said it is exploring being involved.