daniel chigunwe
ZIMBABWE has traditionally done well at the African Games with some of the country’s finest moments coming when the quadrennial sports showcase was still known as the All-Africa Games.
This nation even hosted the sixth edition of the Games in 1995, which ironically remains the biggest medal haul for Team Zimbabwe (35) from six gold, six silver and 23 bronze.
Just recently, Team Zimbabwe remembered how to win more medals at the Games when they bagged 11 which were made up of three gold, four silver and as many bronze, at the 13th edition of the showpiece in Accra, Ghana.
It is an achievement worth celebrating especially in view of the fact that just four years ago in Rabat, Morocco, Zimbabwe could only manage a paltry four medals while the 2015 sojourn in Gabon had yielded nine medals.
Critically, Team Zimbabwe showed they had learnt some lessons from the 2019 Games and the decision by the government through the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) to tighten the selection criteria was one such lesson well mastered.
In Ghana, selection for Team Zimbabwe was premised on the potential for podium results and the opportunity, which the competition gave to the teams and individual athletes to qualify for the Olympic Games.
The African Games have aways been structured in such a way that they fall a year before the Olympic Games and can be used as a qualifying springboard for the Olympics.
Unfortunately for some of the country’s athletes, Ghana’s ill-preparedness meant that the Games, originally meant to be staged in August 2023, were held in March 2024.
This affected some of the United States-based athletes due to a clash in competitions while some facilities in Ghana were not ready and had their events shelved.
The just-ended Games have however, shown the country what our athletes can achieve if the whole nation rallies behind them.
Zimbabwe competed in 10 disciplines — athletics, chess, cricket, cycling, judo, karate, rugby, swimming, tennis, triathlon and in five of these sport codes, they harvested some medals.
Credit to the Government for availing funding that helped the team to prepare for the Games, as this was rewarded with some fine performances.
The Government also gave monetary rewards to those who won medals.
That there was also a spread of the medals across different sport codes was an encouraging feat, which Zimbabwe can now build on for the next three years leading to the next edition of the Games in Egypt.
The SRC will now need to put more emphasis and priority on those sport codes that have shown they have the capacity to bring success for the nation while gradually working on Long Term Athlete Development for those that still need more time to find their feet.
The contribution by team sports of two gold and a silver medal won by cricket men and women and the rugby sevens teams respectively, has also shown what the country can do with better organisation and support starting at association level.
It is no surprise that both cricket and rugby, who rank highly among Zimbabwe’s best administered associations, won medals from team events.
Given that the 2023 Games were held a year later, it leaves Team Zimbabwe with less time to prepare for the 2027 Games and the authorities would now have to quickly regroup and put in motion early preparations in order to achieve more success in Egypt.
Accra has provided the platform and the ages of the athletes who were in Ghana is also very encouraging as they still have more years to compete and can return in 2027 with better experience.
Three of the athletes who were in Ghana including female swimmer Mikalya Makwabarara, who won bronze with the swimming relay team, were 16-years-old and under and will return a more seasoned trio in 2027 and beyond.
Such necessary experience could also see Zimbabwe having more of its athletes qualifying for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, United States. A shift in focus from just participating to aiming for the podium should be the guiding mantra as preparations for the next set of Games begin.
Now after improving our ranking as a country from 31 at the 2019 Games to 18 in Ghana, it can only get better and back to the levels when we finished fifth at the 1991 event in Egypt.
The potential and the capacity are there.
Online Reporter