adminEllina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Volleyball Association have registered six clubs to represent the nation in the forthcoming Zone Six Club Championships set for next month in Mbabane, Swaziland. The championships are expected to run from December 14 to 22 and will see clubs from countries within the Southern Africa Region competing in the men and women’s sections.
Zimbabwe will be represented by Support Unit, Black Rhinos and Stanbic Thunder in the men’s category while ZRP Raiders, Support Unit and University of Zimbabwe will fight for honours in the women’s section.
Support Unit and ZRP Raiders were the winners of the 2012 national league while Black Rhinos qualified for the regional competition after winning the Zimbabwe Open in the men’s category. UZ were the runners-up in the women’s section but they made it through to the club championships since they lost to ZRP Raiders who had already booked their place after winning last year’s league title.
The other two teams, Stanbic Thunder and Support Unit, were selected during play-offs which were open to all clubs. ZVA secretary general, Ringisai Mapondera, said they hope the teams will do well in Swaziland.
“It’s a club tournament so all ZVA does is to register the clubs. We are not involved in the day-to-day preparations. Last year we sent five teams – three men and two women. We were supposed to send six teams but the other team failed to travel.
“And all our men’s teams made it to the quarter-finals and one made it to the semi-finals but the women’s clubs were eliminated in the preliminary rounds.
Online Reporter