Region 5 team camp moved

Ellina Mhlanga

Sports Reporter—

TEAM Zimbabwe for the African Union Sports Council Region Five Under-20 Youth Games in Angola is now expected to troop into camp on Thursday in Harare to step up their preparations.The Games are slated for December 9 to 18 in Luanda with participants competing in athletics, athletics for people with visual impairment, basketball, boxing, football, gymnastics, judo, netball, swimming and tennis.

The team was earlier on expected to start camp yesterday but it has been moved to Thursday and will run until December 5.

Sports Commission acting director-general, Joseph Muchechetere, confirmed the new dates and pointed out that it was due to limited resources.

“We were trying to work out our budget. We have finally agreed that the camp is starting on the 1st of December. That’s is the position now.

“We can’t just sanction the camp when we know our coffers are empty. Now we are receiving something from the government, so now we can start camp.

“These Games are wholly funded by the government except for the $1 500 we got from CBZ. We want to thank the government for the support and CBZ for the $1 500,” said Muchechetere.

Muchechetere said they would have wanted more time with the team in camp before their departure.

“Technically we would have wanted to have more time in camp so that we are able to address a number of issues, technical issues and so on.

“But because of limitations in terms of funding we could not do that. We are fully aware of the advantages and disadvantages but because of the available resources we have to keep postponing.

“Initially, we had agreed November 24, we revised to November 28 and then the 1st of December,” said Muchechetere.

Zimbabwe are sending a delegation of 198 athletes and officials.

They are scheduled to leave for Angola on December 6.

The opening ceremony is on December 9 and the football competition will start on the same day.

However, the number is expected to increase with the inclusion of the country delegation.

“According to our plan we want to charter an Air Zimbabwe plane for all athletes except for those coming from abroad. So we will be travelling as one unit. At the moment it’s definite unless other things come up. The team is big,” said Muchechetere.

Team Zimbabwe chef de mission, Chiedza Mafunga, said they remain optimistic despite the limited time in camp.

Netball and football girls’ team will be based at Mabelreign Girls High while basketball girls, athletics and judo girls will be at Girls High.

However, for athletics, they will be training at the National Sports Stadium B Arena.

The boys will be staying at Churchill and the football team will be training at the same venue.