Special Olympics Zim Games on

Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
SPECIAL Olympics Zimbabwe have said they are optimistic of a successful event when they host their 50th Anniversary National Advancement Games starting this morning at the University of Zimbabwe sports ground.

Over 200 athletes set to participate in the event. The Games are running until tomorrow with athletes drawn from eight provinces competing in golf, athletics, bocce and seven-a-side soccer.

Athletics will see athletes taking part in high jump, 100m, 200m, long jump and shot put. The national event will serve as a platform for Special Olympics Zimbabwe to select their team for the Special Olympics World Summer Games next year.

Special Olympics Zimbabwe national director, Viola Musariri, said they were looking forward to an exciting event and athletes had started checking in at Prince Edward yesterday.

“We have over 250 athletes that have confirmed participation and preparations are going on well. The athletes are checking in today (yesterday) at Prince Edward and the preparations are ongoing at the University of Zimbabwe sports ground. The Special Olympics national advancement Games are held to select a team that will participate in the Summer Games of 2019. The Games are going to be held in Abu Dabhi in March of 2019,” said Musariri.

Musariri said this year’s event is coinciding with the 50th anniversary since the Games were incepted in 1968 to cater for people living with intellectual disabilities and are going to be their biggest event for this year.

The event is running under the theme “Creating Inclusive Communities.”

“The 50th anniversary advancement Games are going to be Special Olympics Zimbabwe’s biggest event in 2018. What makes this year’s advancement Games special is the Games are going to coincide with our 50th anniversary celebrations.

“Special Olympics turns 50 this year, having been started in 1968 in Chicago, so globally this is our year where we celebrate 50 years of creating inclusive communities. We would like people to come and be able to see what the athletes can do on the sporting field,” said Musariri.

Zimbabwe are looking at fielding athletes in three sport codes at the World Games next year.

The athletes have been drawn from Bulawayo, Masvingo, Mashonaland West, Midlands, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland Central, Manicaland and Harare.