Mutare athlete shines

Senior Reporter

YOUNG Vanessa Matimba of Mweyamutsene High School in Marange under Mutare District was the toast of Team Manicaland in last week’s NASH national athletics competitions when she scooped the best athlete award following a sterling performance that saw her snatch pole position in three individual events.

Matimbe, who outpaced competitors of her age group in the 200m race, long jump and 400m contest during the NASH national athletics competitions at Hillcrest College last Thursday and Friday received a plasma television, thanks to sponsors Teachers’ Furnishers.

The NASH national athletics competition saw all the 10 provinces in the country being represented by participants from different schools across the country.

However, it was Harare Metropolitan Province that once again dominated the competitions after amassing 28 gold medals, eight silver and five bronze, while hosts, Manicaland settled for the bridesmaids’ position with a total of 19 gold, 23 silver and 18 bronze medals.

Masvingo Province were third with 15 gold, 17 silver and 18 bronze medals, while Mashonaland East weighed in fourth position with 12 gold, 19 silver and 14 bronze medals.

Mashonaland West came out fifth with 10 gold, 13 silver and 12 bronze medals.

Another metropolitan province, Bulawayo was a distant sixth position after collecting eight gold medals, 10 silver and as many bronze medals.

Midlands came seventh with seven gold, four silver and eight bronze medals while Matebeleland South was in eighth position with a total of six gold medals, 12 silver and 16 bronze.

Matebeleland North were in ninth position after getting six gold medals, 11 silver and six bronze, while Mashonaland Central proved to the worst of all after managing to get a paltry five gold medals, four silver and eight bronze.

NASH head in charge of athletics for Manicaland, Phillip Padhuze, expressed satisfaction with the way the event was run and thanked the sponsors for their kind donations.

“We are really happy with the way we managed to host this event. It was well organised and all the participants, winners and losers were happy with the way the event went on.

“We are also grateful to the sponsors. They partnered us at a time when it is quite difficult to lure partners in the corporate community,” he said.

Apart from Teachers’ Furnishers, mobile phones dealer, Astro, Dairibord and Matanuska also contributed towards the event.