Byo squash player continues to shine

Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
BULAWAYO-based promising squash player Ryan Gwidzima continues to shine after he was crowned the All Africa Open Junior Squash Under-15 champion in Cape Town, South Africa on Sunday.

The 12-year old Gwidzima defeated Kameron Jinnah, a 114-year old Zimbabwean learning in South Africa 3-2 in a tightly fought final. Gwidzima took the first game 11-2 but lost the second 11-9 and the third 11-6 before he found his way back into the contest by winning the fourth 11-7 to head into the decisive fifth which he took 12-10.

In total, Gwidzima played four matches, won the first three by comfortable margins of 3-0 but the final was a challenge for the youngster. His first three opponents were from South Africa, United States of America and Saudi Arabia.

Ryan’s father, Langton who went to South Africa as his son’s coach described the lad’s success to all the support he is getting from his sponsors.

“It was a good tournament, there was tough competition, he had to come back from behind to win it. All that was due to hard work from the coaches and his group called the Ryan Supporters who make sure that he gets tough competition by playing against him every week,’’ Langton said.

The trip was made possible by the Ryan Gwidzima Trust Fund which paid for all the expenses for the youngster and his father.

Gwidzima is next month heading off to Wycliffe College in the United Kingdom to advance his squash career, a move that is being financed by the Trust Fund, which is chaired by lawyer Promise Ncube.

@Mdawini_29