adminRicky Zililo Sports Reporter
ATHLETICS technical officials downed their tools at the National University of Science and Technology yesterday, leading to a gloomy end to the 11th edition of the Zimbabwe National Youth Games in Bulawayo.The officials were demanding that the Sports and Recreation Commission give them their allowances before the end of the Games.
The curtain comes down today on the National Youth Games with an official closing ceremony at White City Stadium this afternoon after an eventful sporting week in the City of Kings.
All sporting disciplines’ finals, save for men and women’s soccer, were supposed to be played yesterday but the boycott by athletics officials led to the abandonment of a number of events.
The athletics programme had gone well since morning with Mashonaland East’s Michael Songore claiming gold in a pulsating 200m men’s final, which probably was the highlight of the morning events.
The technical personnel only held two events after lunch and even held on to the results saying they would only release them once their dues have been paid.
Officials who refused to identify themselves said they were afraid that they might not get their dues once the Games end.
“Yeah, we might have volunteered to officiate but they must treat us well. We want our allowances and that is all we are demanding. No one from the SRC or the local organising committee has communicated to us about our allowances. We have been here for a week and if we do not resolve this matter today no one will be there to listen to us after the Games,” said an aggrieved official.
The technical officials, who work under the auspices of the National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe, said at last year’s edition which was held in Bindura they received $120 each and they learnt through the grapevine that this time around they would get $80.
They questioned why the allowances were reduced when the athletes’ participation fees for this year’s edition was raised to $70 per athlete up from the $50 they paid last year.
Even the Naaz president Tendai Tagara failed to convince his subordinates to continue with the events.
The SRC Southern Region manager Isaiah Mpofu and the Bulawayo provincial SRC sports co-ordinator Sam Dzvimbu also failed convince the athletics officials.
“We are surprised as to why these people are doing this because we had informed them that we have applied for money from the bank and they are going to be paid before they leave. I think someone within their association fuelled this thing and why is it that it’s only technical people from athletics who are on a sit-in while other disciplines are being played.
“Right now we had to go to the bank and plead with them to give us money but that is not how things should have been,” said Dzvimbu after arriving from the bank with a police escort.
By 7:30 last night, the officials were grouping outside the finance office at the Games’ command centre at the Bulawayo Polytechnic College waiting to be paid.
Away from the strike, Bulawayo Metropolitan Province came first in boxing after claiming eight gold medals, three silver and five bronze.
They were followed by Masvingo who had five gold, two silver and two bronze.
The boxing discipline has over the years contributed a significant amount of medals to Team Bulawayo.
The women’s volleyball team coached by national team gaffer Vulindlela Moyo won gold after beating Masvingo 3-2 in an exciting final.
This is the first time that the Bulawayo team went all the way to the final let alone grabbing a medal since the inception of the National Youth Games in 2003.
“I am happy that the girls did well and managed to win gold. I believe the amount of hard work they put in training finally paid off. Even the teams that we played against in the semi-finals (Harare) and Masvingo were equally good and gave us good competition,” said Moyo.
Results
BOXING: Women’s Finals: Pin weight – Priscilla Mudando, Mashonaland Central (gold) beat Princess Taderera, Mashonaland East (silver)
Flyweight – Tanaka Chavunduka, Mashonaland Centra (gold) beat Revai Madondo, Midlands (silver)
Light bantamweight – Caroline Madzivire, Masvingo (gold) beat Millicent Mabwe, Bulawayo, (silver)
Bantamweight – Thenjiwe Foloma, Bulawayo (gold) beat Tanaka Gwanzura, Mashonaland Central (silver)
Featherweight – Ashaine Mudapakati, Mashonaland Central (gold) beat Emma Dzoro, Midlands (silver)
Lightweight – Amanda Dube, Bulawayo (gold) beat Tellwin Nyeredzi, Masvingo (silver); Princess Msipha, Bulawayo (gold) beat Diyana Mangwiro, Midlands (silver)
Welterweight – Sithabiso Ncube, Mashonaland East (gold) beat Cathrine Mutero, Mashonaland West (silver
Middleweight – Anna Beauty Mabuya, Bulawayo (gold) beat Nestorine Kotangate, Harare (silver); Shailine Mguni, Bulawayo (gold) beat Nyasha Fungulani, Mashonaland East (silver)
Men’s Finals: Pin weight – Peniks Chinono, Mashonaland East (gold) beat Justice Nyoni, Matabeleland North (silver)
Light flyweight – Praise Hove, Masvingo (gold) beat Sheppard Machaya, Bulawayo (silver)
Bantamweight – Trade Nkomozabo, Masvingo (gold) beat Kenneth Shomani, Manicaland (silver); Prosper Shumba, Bulawayo (gold) beat Spencer Muurunyenwe, Mashonaland Central (silver)
Lightweight – Samson Masiyambumbi, Bulawayo (gold) beat Onias Ndlovu, Matabeleland North (silver); Kudakwashe Hodo, Masvingo (gold) beat Brandon Denho, Mashonaland East (silver)
Welterweight – Phenias Chikati, Masvingo (gold) beat Andile Ncube, Bulawayo (silver)
Middleweight – Trymore Chiweshe, Masvingo (gold) beat Liberty Muwani, Midlands (silver)
HANDBALL: Men 3rd and 4th play-off: Bulawayo 11, Matabeleland South 6
Final: Harare 23, Mashonaland Central 15
Women
3rd and 4th play-off: Mashonaland East 4, Mashonaland Central 10
Final: Bulawayo 7, Matabeleland South 11
NETBALL: Semi-finals: Masvingo 33, Manicaland 20; Bulawayo 25, Harare 21
VOLLEYBALL: Final women: Bulawayo 3, Masvingo 2 (25-23, 17-25, 25-16, 20-25, 18-16
Men: Mashonaland Central 3, Bulawayo 0 (25-22, 25-26, 28-26)
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