Chronicle Editor
Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE’s men and women’s hockey sides begin their road to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games with matches against Egypt and Ghana respectively in Stellenbosch, South Africa, next month.
According to fixtures released by Africa Hockey this week, the Zimbabwe men’s side gets its campaign underway in Pool B against the North Africans on August 12, with their second game against Namibia the following day.
They wrap up their Pool B games with a contest against Ghana on August 15. Pool A has Uganda, Nigeria and hosts South Africa, and the top two sides from the two pools will progress to the semi-finals where winners of Pool A will clash with Pool B runners-up, while Pool A runners-up have a date with Pool B winners.
Semi-final winners square up in the final on August 18 to decide who goes to Tokyo for the Olympic finals.
For the ladies, Zimbabwe’s first match is against Ghana on August 12, with the second and third games three days later against Uganda and Namibia respectively.
The format for the ladies’ semi-finals is the same as the men’s, with the final preceding the men’s on August 18.
Africa was not represented at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games after continental winners South Africa decided against participating following a resolution between the
South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) and South African Hockey Association (SAHA) that the continental qualification route would not be considered.
Zimbabwe sent a total of 31 athletes to the Rio Olympics.03
Hockey was the first Zimbabwe landed an Olympic medal when the Golden Girls scooped gold in the 1980 Moscow Games.
Online Reporter