Ndimande prepares for Olympic qualifiers

By Ricky Zililo
The US-based Zimbabwe tennis star Mbonisi Ndimande will next month compete in a number of tournaments as he intensifies his preparations for the London 2012 Olympics Games.
Ndimande is on a tennis scholarship at Seminole State College, Oklahoma and is one of Zimbabwe’s eight athletes on Olympic Solidarity Scholarship.
Other athletes on the Olympic Solidarity Scholarship are Olympic gold medallist Kirsty Coventry, Brian Dzingai, Ngoni Makusha, Anthony Hobwana, Marlven Bonde, Cuthbert Nyasango (all athletics) and Takanye Garanganga another tennis player.
The scholarship is meant to assist the country’s elite athletes during qualifiers for the London 2012 Olympics.
In an interview through a social network, Ndimande said missing the Mozambique All-Africa Games was a setback for him but was confident of picking up more points.
“It is difficult to describe what I went through because of failing to represent my country at the All-Africa Games. I wanted to be there but circumstances beyond my control made it impossible for me to go to Mozambique. I could have picked up some points in Mozambique, which could have enhanced my chances of qualifying for next year’s Olympics,” said Ndimande.
The rising tennis ace won the 2010 National Small Championships which made him end the year as America’s top ranked junior tennis player
Ndimande risks losing his Olympic Solidarity Scholarship should he fail to qualify for the London 2012 Games. “I have been working hard to make sure that I’m in good shape for coming tournaments. I will be playing in a number of local tournaments beginning this weekend before next month’s qualifiers (London 2012 Olympics qualifiers). If I fail to qualify, I will lose on the benefits of the Olympic Solidarity Scholarship so I just have to be at my best.
“I have been on the Olympic Solidarity Scholarship from March and it runs out in May. Should I bow out of the qualifiers before May, I will lose funding,” said Ndimande.
The player represented Zimbabwe in the Davis Cup tournament that was held in Cote d’Ivoire in 2009 where he won all his three singles matches and two doubles games before losing the other one.
Zimbabwe came second in that competition behind Ghana. Other teams that took part in the tournament were the host nation and Cameroon.
The Bulawayo born star has played twice in the Wimbledon and Australian Junior Championships moved to America at the end of 2009.
Ndimande said he would do everything he can to qualify for the London 2012 Olympics.
“It is every athlete’s dream to represent their country at the Olympics and I will not let the dream of making it there go down the drain. I will work hard so that I qualify.
“Competition at the senior level is different from that in the juniors where I did well becoming America’s top junior player. I want to carry on winning and I know that without hard work and perseverance, winning won’t be possible,” said Ndimande.