Chronicle Editor
Simba Jemwa, Sports Correspondent
HIGHLANDERS Volleyball Club have declared their readiness for the upcoming Bulawayo Volleyball Association Preseason Open tournament set for White City Stadium this weekend.
The trio of Unimills-Hokoyo captain Andrew Chikwaka, national road race champion Advocate Phiri and Nkulumo Dube are part of the four-man team that also includes Amos Chikwara from Harare cycling club Team Tsvakai and Lizwilenkosi Sibanda, the sole Under-23 rider for the African cycling showpiece.
Also selected for the Egypt adventure is the elite women’s trio of Skye Davidson, Helen Michell and Stacey Hislop.
The Zimbabwe team will be managed by Linda Davidson.
The appointments were announced by Cycling Zimbabwe president Norman Bonne last week.
The riders will compete against riders from around the continent in individual distances for team trail, individual trial, road race and mixed relay events.
Unimills-Hokoyo principal Davis Muhambi said his club is excited at the prospect of his riders racing against Africa’s elite in Egypt adding that this was a positive endorsement of Unimills-Hokoyo’s committment to the sport.
“We are very excited that our riders have been selected for national duty and we believe they will be very competitive at the championships,” said Muhambi.
“When we started this club in 2020, we said the key focus is empowerment of our young riders, who have the requisite talent to become top riders, not just in Zimbabwe, but on the continent.
This call-up vindicates our efforts and focus as well as endorses our empowerment and development programme.
I have no doubt that our riders will acquit themselves well in Egypt and am positive they will bring back a few medals.”
Muhambi said his club was already working on fundraising after Cycling Zimbabwe indicated that it did not have funds to pay for the team’s travelling and accommodation expenses in Egypt.
“Cycling Zimbabwe advised us that it did not have resources to fund the trip to Egypt and asked individual clubs to help with fundraising.
“We have already reached out to our corporate partners and we are confident that our riders will be able to travel to Egypt for this event,” Muhambi said.
About US$1 500 is required for each rider to travel to Egypt.
— @RealSimbaJemwa
Online Reporter