Chronicle Editor
Tobias Mandoreba in Hwange
VETERAN and combative midfielder, Canaan Nkomo was on Wednesday rewarded for his influential play that was the mainstay of Hwange Football Club’s promotion to the Premier Soccer League after he was named the Club’s Soccer Star of the Year at a colourful awards ceremony held at the Hwange Angling and Boating Club.
The 37-year old soft spoken player walked away with a glittering trophy and US$300 cash in prize money.
Other individual accolades winners who also walked away with cash prizes were: Most Promising Player (Marcelline Mlilo), Most Consistent Player (Nedrick Madeya and Brian Mlotshwa, who both shared the award), Players Player Of The Year (captain Kelly Shiyandindi) who also grabbed the Golden Boot Award for hitting the net 14 times during the season.
Most Disciplined Player (Shepherd Gadzikwa), The chairman’s award (Felex Chindungwe) , Goal Of The Season (Ernest Gwitima) and Sportswriters Player of the Season ( Thabani Goredema).
In his remarks, club president and Hwange Colliery managing director Blake Mhatiwa made a commitment to transform the team into a powerhouse in the country.
“Hwange is a big club and with proud history in Zimbabwe football. The clubs like FC Platinum and Ngezi Platinum are doing well because of huge sponsorship and I am today making a commitment that Hwange FC will be given full financial support and other resources to enable it to be a powerhouse in the elite league,” he said.
The club vice president and estates manager Nomathemba Hapazari urged the players to be the club’s ambassadors.
“I am proud of the players who worked hard to gain promotion to the big league and I am urging each and every player to be the club’s ambassador both on and off the field of play,” she said.
The event was attended by Hwange legends Amos Rendo, Twyman Ncube and Weekly Mwale, the Nairos Deredzai led executive committee, the supporters representatives and the Hwange business community who included local sponsors for the awards Shemtech Enterprises and Nokonatal Investments.
Other individuals and entities that also partnered the club for the awards include Blessing Chimbwanda, Sportszone, Kamandazi Restaurant and Tumediso ” Drogba” Ndlovu. — @ tobymandox
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