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Mzingaye Sibanda Sports Reporter
BULAWAYO Metropolitan Province were crowned champions in the just ended Zimbabwe National Youth Games championships after scooping 14 gold medals in athletics and boxing.
The hosts amassed 16 gold, 12 silver and 12 bronze medals.
Mbonisi Ncube, the athletics team manager praised the athletes’ superb performance.
“The performance was superb and we attribute to the coaches’ hard work despite shortage of resources,” said Ncube.
He said Bulawayo would continue to dominate athletics having come first last year in Bindura.
“A lot needs to be done, schools have to form clubs that practise throughout the year so that we continue dominating,” said Ncube.
Gold medals in athletics came from Andile Khumalo in the boys 400m race in 48,60 seconds, Yvonne Hativagoni in the 400m,
Nobukhosi Dube and Abraham Ncube who both won in walking.
Bulawayo also scooped gold in the boys’ and girls’ medley relays.
Stanley Square was the venue of boxing where Bulawayo also shone, emerging with the highest number of gold medals.
Thenjiwe Foloma won the bantamweight, with Amanda Dube and Princess Msipha winning the light welterweight gold in the boys’ and girls’ categories respectively while Shailine Mguni won the middleweight belt in the girls’ section.
In the boys’ category, Prosper Shumba won the bantamweight title while Samson Masiyambumbi lifted the lightweight.
Bulawayo won gold in the women’s volleyball and another in edutainment.
The girls volleyball team was under the guidance of the Zimbabwe women’s senior national team coach Vulindlela Moyo.
They beat Masvingo 3-2 in a tense final, their first ever medal in the competition since the inception of the Zimbabwe National Youth
Games in 2003.
Bulawayo Metropolitian technical manager Adam Joelson said the athletes had the nerve and passion to win this edition of the Youth Games especially at home.
“I am proud we managed to finally win the Youth Games, we had passion and the heart to win, we also had the backing of the technical team, and we would love to thank them,” said Joelson.
He said the games were competitive but Bulawayo used the home advantage to emerge winners.
“The home advantage worked in our favour as the competition was stiff,” he said.
Joelson praised all Bulawayo teams as they either managed to reach the semi-finals or final.
“Most of our teams in the ball games, either lost in the final or managed to reach the semi-finals,” he said.
Silver came from boys’ volleyball, netball, boxing, athletics and handball.
Online Reporter