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Gilbert Munetsi in MUTARE
The 13th edition of the Zimbabwe National Youth Games got underway here yesterday amid revelations that most provinces were not able to bring teams for certain sporting disciplines. This is the second time Manicaland are hosting the Games. Mashonaland East manager, Norman Gombera, said they were onlyable to raise $600 from a budget of $110 000 they had set for the Games.
Some athletes from Masarakufa School in Mudzi had to be turned back home for failing to raise the $80 per athlete affiliation fee.
“It was quite a disappointment, but we had no option but to send the children back home from the three-day camp because we failed to raise enough money to enable them to register for the Games,” said Gombera.
“We had to end up asking those schools who could raise money for their children to field players in various disciplines and, overally, that was not reflective of the talent that we have as a province because when most of these are at boarding schools like Goromonzi High, Marondera High and Rusununguko and are originally from Harare, it does not auger well for the Mashonaland East as a province.
“POSB assisted us with $500, Proton Bakeries chipped in with $100 and Nyaradzo Funeral Services gave us 50 T/shirts.”
Notably, the province did not have a soccer team despite having such schools like Chemhanza who have been national champions in tournaments like the Copa Coca-Cola.
The province are not fielding a tennis team.
They, however, had participants in boys and girls basketball (18 players), volleyball (21 players), netball (nine players) and boxing (11).
Online Reporter