Smoother paralympics expected in Hwange

Nhoro was speaking to athletics officials at Hwange High School yesterday morning. The school is the command centre for the fifth edition of the Games whose competition proper roars into life this morning at all the seven venues.
“Mistakes were made in Chinhoyi last year but let us not allow them to happen this year. Forewarned is forearmed,” said Ndoro.

In Chinhoyi last year, some athletics officials wrongly gave athletes medals resulting in some provinces losing valuable points, with Bulawayo being the hardest hit as they were initially put at third before the anomalies were discovered. They were eventually a few medals behind winners Midlands while Masvingo, initially at position two, dropped by a single rung to position three.

“We really need to be careful this time,” said Ndoro to the officials.
Meanwhile, Mashonaland Central were the first to arrive in Hwange on Monday night with last year’s hosts Mashonaland West coming in yesterday morning.

Hosts Matabeleland North, who were camped at Marist Brothers Secondary School in Dete, arrived in Hwange just after midday while the rest of the provinces were expected to arrive late yesterday and be accredited.
Vice President Landa John Nkomo is expected to officially open the Games tomorrow in a ceremony that will be held at the Colliery Stadium.

Unlike in previous years, the accreditation and the general organisation of the first day was smooth.
Accreditation started on Monday evening with members of the local organising committee led by the chief executive officer Victor Rakabopa going through the process while the rest of the volunteers and other officials started accrediting yesterday morning.

A total of 1 050 athletes will take part in the games with seven Games Villages being made available.
The visually-impaired, who will compete in athletics and goal ball, will be camped at Thomas Coulter Primary School with Don Bosco College playing host to 120 athletes who will compete in wheelchair tennis and basketball.

St George’s Primary School in Ngumija Village will be the venue for athletes who will compete in the conventional version of the hearing-impaired football.

A total of 150 athletes will be camped there.
Intellectually challenged and hearing impaired athletes for netball will use Nechibondo Primary School for camping with St Ignatius Primary School being used to house 240 for intellectually challenged Futsal football, and intellectually challenged athletes as well as amputees.
The Paralympic Games were inaugurated in 2008 with Bulawayo playing host.