Hwange town comes to a standstill as Mat North hosts Naph national athletics competitions

HWANGE Town is set to come to a standstill this week as Matabeleland North plays hosts to the National Association of Primary School national track and field athletics competitions at the Colliery Stadium.

The competitions will be held as from March 17 to March 21st with provinces expected to check in on March 17 and check out on March 21st.

According to the Matabeleland North provincial Naph sports chairperson and Lortondale Primary School headmaster, Wilson Ndlovu vetting will be done in the morning of March 18 before competitions start in the afternoon. The next two days will be pound for pound competition.

“In terms of preparedness, Matabeleland North is more than ready, the stadium is in excellent condition thanks to the Hwange Colliery staff as well as our own teams. All the equipment for the meet has been secured,” said Ndlovu.

He said teams will be housed in five different games villages. The host province will be at St Ignatius Primary School together with Harare, Bulawayo and Mashonaland West will be housed Lwendulu Primary School, Midlands and Masvingo at Thomas Coulter Primary School, Mashonaland East and Manicaland will be at Megawatt Primary School in Chibondo suburb while Nechibondo Primary School in Empumalanga suburb will be home to Matabeleland South and Mashonaland Central respectively.

With regards to team Matabeleland North, Ndlovu said athletes were in good shape after an intense training program.

“We remain in high spirits and hopeful that we will make the province proud,” he said.
Mashonaland West Province are the defending champions having bagged 28 medals at Kyle College in Masvingo last year.

They amassed 18 gold, four silver and six bronze medals.
Midlands Province settled for second position with only eight gold, 10 silver and 14 bronze.
Matabeland North were a disappointing ninth with eight medals being three gold, one silver and four bronze.