Chronicle Editor
Yesteryear greats with Lovemore Dube
THE birth of the Sadc Africa Union Sports Council (AUSC Region Five) Games has given birth to some of the most exciting talents from the sub-continent that have come to shine on the world stage.
For two decades nations in the region sent their Under-20s in several sporting disciplines to compete against peers from the region.
The competition was endorsed by Head of States in 2001 and hence enjoy Member Countries’ Government support. This has ensured participation in good numbers making for some breathtaking competition and great exposure to talent scouts.
The chief executive officer of AUSC (Region Five) Stanley Mutoya is happy with the results from the hosting of the Games.
He said a number of sports’ big names on the continent and world stage had come through the games.
“I am grateful to the governments of this Region through the ministers responsible for sport who have continued to invest in these Games, growing them by each edition. These are the only Games of this nature in Africa so Sadc Region remains Africa’s trailblazer in sport and sport for development. Sport has indeed harnessed the demographic dividends and stimulated social outcomes that have projected education, health, economic, tourism and other planetary health benefits for the greater good of our people,” said Mutoya yesterday from Botswana.
Among the top performers in these Games is world 400m holder Wayde Van Niekerk of South Africa.
He took part in the competition held in Eswatini in 2010.
In 2016, Van Niekerk etched himself among the sport’s immortals with a heart-thumping 43,03 seconds run obliterating Michael Johnson’s 43,18 seconds which had stood for a long time.
Van Nierkerk is part of South Africa’s team for the 2024 Paris Olympics. He has, however, opted not to run the 400m instead wants to help South Africa win medals in the 4×100 and 4x400m relays on fresher legs.
Between the 2016 Olympics and this year, the record holder has had to deal with serious injuries which at some stage threatened his career.
Forty-year-old former Zambian striker Collins Mbesuma who had a glittering career at South African glamour side Kaizer Chiefs after signing from Roan United later wrote himself in the history books when he joined a list of not more than a dozen Southern Africaners to play in the English Premiership.
Mbesuma had stints in Spain and Turkey and spells on his return to South Africa took him to Mamelodi Sundowns, Moroka Swallows, Golden Arrows, Orlando Pirates, Mpumalanga Black Aces, Highlands Park, a sojourn to Israel before two transfers on his return to South Africa in 2019 to University of Pretoria and Pretoria Callies.
He was capped 65 times by Zambia and scored 22 goals.
Before Caster Semenya became a world beater in the 800m, she had bullied girls in the Sadc Region with her sheer talent and power.
Semenya won two Olympic gold medals. She was a three-time World Championships winner and also has several medals with the South Africa 4x400m win.
Other notables from the Games are a majority of the girls who were in the Zimbabwe senior netball team, the Gems in Liverpool in 2019 for the World Cup, Nigel Amos — Botswana sprinter, Naomie Ruele (swimmer) Botswana who competed in the Rio de Jainero Olympics in 2016 having shone in the Zambia AUSC Games of 2012, footballer Partson Daka of Zambia who plays for Leicester City and Chipolopolo who impressed at the Bulawayo hosted Games in 2014.
Christine Mboma of Namibia won a 200m silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 and she did well in the AUSC Games in Botswana in 2018.
Malawi Flames who were 2023 Cosafa Women’s Champions were impressive in the 2022 AUSC Games coincidentally hosted by a country whose yesteryear greats like Kinnah Phiri, Ernest Chirwali, Jack Chamangwana, Malunga brothers Holyman and Kennedy and Chance Gondwe got Africa talking about their talent.
Because of the endorsement by governments, several legacy projects have been left on the ground for the hosts for use beyond the championships.
Some of the projects in which facilities have seen millions poured into include:
1. Zambia OYDC Swimming Pool,
2. NASDEC Netball and Tennis Courts and upgrade of roads (Zambia),
3. Bulawayo Swimming Pool heating and Athletics tartan track (Zimbabwe),
4. Botswana swimming Pool upgrade,
5. Lesotho Rapokolana Swimming Complex and National Stadium upgrade including new athleticstrack and hotel refurbishments,
6. Malawi Aquatic Complex, Griffin Saenda Indoor Complex, CIVO Basketball Centre and upgrade of several Football pitches.
Partnerships and Collaborations
The Games have continued to attract attention and support from International Sports Federations and Broadcasters. The following entities have over the years endeared themselves to the Region 5 Games:
1. Fifa through Cosafa contributing towards costs for the football competition
2. Fiba Africa — supporting with equipment.
3. Super Sport — supporting with broadcasting the Games.
4. Vision View TV — Producing the Games for broadcast.
5. Cosafa TV buying rights.
6. Member Countries — pay participation fees.
There is no doubt that the Sadc Region has benefited from seeing its sports grow both in value and investment in modern-day facilities that are now used even for other competitions underscoring the value attached to sport.
Sports tourism continues to grow in the region because of State support.
It is safe to say the Games have grown to be a catalyst that promotes socio-economic development through sport to solidify solidarity, awareness and education.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter