adminMutare Bureau
HARARE Province girls’ volleyball team became the latest side to be disqualified from the 13th edition of the Zimbabwe National Youth Games after the province’s boys and girls soccer teams were expelled for non-payment of affiliation fees. The enthusiastic Harare province girls’ volleyball team, which had powered their way into the final, suddenly became a sorry sight as the young girls could be seen crying soon after news broke that they would not play in the final.
Instead, their semi-final opponents, Bulawayo, will progress to the final.
Local Organising Committee general manager Zakaria Chikwangwani confirmed that they were left with no choice but to wield the axe.
“I think we did our best under the prevailing situation. We were patient enough, as parents too, hoping that they would sort out their issues in time but they could not.
“We just had to ask them to return home,” he said.
Harare province’s football teams were disqualified from playing at this year’s 13th edition of Games after failing to pay the required affiliation fees.
The fee is pegged at $80 per affiliate.
Meanwhile, Bulawayo province will square up with Midlands at Sakubva High 1 this morning in one of the semi-finals while the other will feature Matabeleland North and Mashonaland Central at Ellis Gledhill School.
Hosts Manicaland were a source of embarrassment for their sizable home crowd after being bundled out of the competition in the group stages of the competition.
In boxing, some good fights have already been displayed by some of the recognisable boxers like Dignity Ncube from Matabeleland South, who was a lightweight gold medalist last year, and Harare’s Jojo Thomas, who was a lightweight bronze medalist last year.
The two have been undefeated and will exchange blows today in a potential thriller.
The highlight of the boxing matches came from bantamweight silver medalist Ndondana Ncube who knocked out Manicaland’s Harmony Mlambo in the first round on Tuesday.
Ndodana will today face Taona Zvichaguma from Mashonaland East in the final. In the women’s lightweight category, last year’s gold medalist Chinnaa Fortunate from Harare, sailed through to the finals.
Mashonaland Central’s Priscilla Dondo is also a favourite in the light flyweight category after some great show throughout the Games.
In basketball, they have been playing a round-robin format and Harare are leading the way in both the men and women categories.
They remain undefeated.
In athletics, South Africa-based Shingirirai Hlanguyo from Manicaland scooped gold in the boys’ 100 metre race in 10.56 seconds.
He dominated a race where Phillimon Dhlodhlo finished second in 11.12 secs.
Manicaland’s Mercy Gweda won the girls’ 100 metre race in 12.46 secs.
Mada Brian of Manicaland took the gold medal in the boys’ triple jump while Edwin Nyakuwengana of Masvingo scooped gold in the boys’ shot-put.
Online Reporter