Byo, Mat North Nash teams troop into camp

Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
BULAWAYO and Matabeleland North National Association of Secondary School Heads (Nash) athletics teams trooped into camp in their respective provinces yesterday ahead of national competitions set for White City Stadium next week.

Hosts, Bulawayo’s 150 athletes are camped at Eveline High School, but they’ll use Northlea High School for training under the watchful eye of provincial head coach, James Rugwevera. The Matabeleland North squad set up camp at George Silundika High School in Nyamandlovu.

Bulawayo held their inter-districts at White City Stadium from Monday to Friday last week jointly with their primary schools counterparts.

“Since we are not going to be burdened with travelling costs, we selected 150 athletes to maximise on home advantage,” said Bulawayo Nash head-in-charge of athletics Peter Gambiza, the headmaster of Northlea High.

He said the joint hosting of the inter-district event with Naph was part of the dress rehearsal for the national finals and expressed satisfaction with the way the competition was conducted.

“We had a joint event with our National Association of Primary School Heads (Naph) colleagues for the first time, which was a dress rehearsal of the main event, the national athletics finals for both primary and secondary schools and I must say we believe we are ready as the hosting province,” said Gambiza.

Mpopoma High provided the bulk of the provincial squad after scooping a total of 38 gold medals followed by Northlea with 25, while Luveve were third with 18 and rising giant Cowdray Park emerged fourth with 16 gold medals.

Matabeleland North selected 120 athletes from the seven districts that converged at Mavela High on Thursday and Friday last week for their inter-district finals. The event ended controversially in the 4x100m boys’ Under-20 relay after Bubi district were said to have been “beaten through a torso” finish by Hwange, who eventually managed to settle for second position on the overall medals’ table with 21 gold medals.

Lupane came third with 20 gold medals, but would have been second had Hwange not been handed the 21st gold medal in controversial fashion.

“Camp will be at George Silundika High and we are now one team, Team Matabeleland North,” said Matabeleland North head-in-charge of athletics Thabani Nkomo last Friday.

Speaking at the same event, Nash provincial chairperson Bonakele Ncube called on athletes, who did not make it into the provincial squad, to take advantage of the proximity of the national finals by attending to cheer their fellow teammates.

“Bulawayo and us are one and I would like to urge those who can afford to please go to White City Stadium and cheer your teammates,” said Ncube, the head John Tallach High.

@skhumoyo2000