Online Reporter
Innocent Kurira
IT’S not just local footballers who are making their mark on the global stage. Lennon Gwara, the physiotherapist behind the recovery of some of Zimbabwe’s top football stars, has taken his talent to Spain.
As part of a high-profile Technical Exchange Programme, Gwara toured some of La Liga’s biggest clubs, placing African sports science firmly on the European map.
Gwara, a past beneficiary of the Real Betis project in Zimbabwe, began his journey in Seville, where he visited Sevilla FC. He toured their iconic stadium and immersed himself in the rich heritage and success of the club. His official tour concluded with a visit to the La Liga side CD Leganés, based in Madrid. The Spanish club, which is currently expanding its footprint in Africa, gave Gwara a warm welcome and a full tour of their state-of-the-art sports facilities.
During his visit to CD Leganés, Gwara observed a La Liga training session and engaged in a focused exchange with the club’s physiotherapist. He gained detailed insights into their medical team’s structure and the modern pre and post-match recovery methods used to enhance player performance. In recognition of his visit, Gwara was presented with a signed jersey for his team, Scottland FC, and club president Hon Scott Sakupwanya.
Gerald Sibanda, Gwara’s manager, who has been instrumental in building football ties between Zimbabwe and Spain over the past five years, celebrated the significant milestone. He praised Gwara as “one of the best sports physio and recovery professionals in Zimbabwe.”
“We will continue to create pathways for him to realise his full potential at the top level of international football. We want to thank Guillermo and colleagues in the International Department of CD Leganés for hosting Lenny on his visit to their facilities to learn and develop,” he said.
Gwara, a certified Sports Massage Instructor with the World Massage Federation, was humbled by the success of the trip.
“This has been amazing being part of such an international programme, especially at a time when player conditioning is becoming highly valued,” he said.
He also expressed his gratitude, saying, “I would love to thank my coach and mentor, Tonderai Ndiraya, for being the first-ever coach to allow me to work with a professional team and help shape me into who I am today. And lastly, I would love to thank Honourable Scott Sakupwanya for trusting me with the brand of the team on such a big programme and project that seeks to develop players, facilities and technical members of African football. I am proud to be one of the first to be part of this amazing journey.”
