MPL Chairman’s Trophy contest roars to life

Liberty Dube
Sports Correspondent
THE highly anticipated Mutare Pool League Chairman’s Trophy pool competition, featuring the best pool players from Mutare is set to take place this weekend in a two-day potentially-explosive showdown.
The tournament which will be the first of its kind, promises to be a showcase of skill, strategy, and fierce competition, with local talent ready to give their all in a bid to claim the prestigious title.
The contest will take place tomorrow (Saturday) and Sunday at three venues – Galaxy Sports Club, Acid Bar and MSKV Arcade in Chikanga.
Tomorrow, six players from each club are expected to battle it out in the race to three format at Acid Bar and Galaxy Sports Bar, while on Sunday, the last eight players from each venue will qualify for the Super-16 where the ultimate winner will emerge.
Players legible for the tournament must belong to Mutare Pool League affiliated clubs.
Every payer willing to be part of the tournament will pay US$5.
This is the first Mutare Pool League tournament under the new leadership.
The recently elected MPL chairman, Harris Shoni, told Post Sport this week that more tournaments of such calibre are in store as they aim to bring people together, and fight social ills bedeviling the society such as drug and substance abuse, thievery and prostitution among other things through the game of pool.
He said this and other forthcoming tournaments will, not only provide fun and competitive environment, but also encourage people to mix, mingle, and create meaningful connections, while promoting the sport of pool as a tool for community building and personal growth.
“We are looking forward to have a successful tournament this weekend. This will be the first competition for MPL players this year. Preparations are at an advanced stage. We believe the event will end in good time. The event will see players mixing and mingling, building synergies, while we also aiming to fight drug and substance abuse. We believe sport is a powerful tool in spreading the message of peace and love. Various stakeholders have weighed in with various sponsorship packages to ensure that the event becomes a success. As the new leadership, we are determined to take the game of pool to another level. We are pleased with how pool players in Mutare are now approaching the game with a greater sense of seriousness and commitment,” said Shoni.
The overall winner will walk away with US$150, while runners -up will receive other cash prizes.
One of the hosts, Arnold Gombakomba of Galaxy Sports Club said it is all systems go.
“It is a pleasure to host such a prestigious tournament. We are looking forward to have an exciting tournament before the league commences,” he said.