adminTobias Mandoreba, Hwange Sports Correspondent
FORMER Hwange Athletics Club sprint sensation Elvis “Vincho” Phiri has died.
He was 49.
Phiri passed away on Sunday at the Hwange Colliery Hospital after a short illness and will be laid to rest today at his rural home in Gurambira, some 46KM from the coal mining town along the Hwange road.
A former Hwange athlete Themba Ncube said he was shocked by the passing of Phiri, saying it was a huge loss to the athletics fraternity.
“The entire sports fraternity in this town is in mourning as we have lost an athletics legend. Elvis was a very dedicated athlete during his days in the Hwange athletics team,” said Ncube.
“I vividly remember when he retired in 1995 that he personally came to me and said the onus was on me as a locally-based athlete to ensure that I take over from where he left.”
Phiri specialised in the 100M, 200M, 400M, 4X100M and 4X400M. He started his career as a junior in the Hwange Athletics Club set up in 1983 when was doing Form One at Hwange Secondary School with the likes of Thembani Nkomo and Bishiop Ncube.
In 1986, he graduated into the senior team and was part of the famous team that had the likes of Elijah Nkala, Benjamin Songoya, Thembani Nkomo, Rodger Sibanda and the late Zephania Ncube.
Phiri had a triumphant departure from the athletics scene during his last race in the 1994 Chamber of Mines Athletics competitions at the Colliery Stadium when his 4X100M relay team comprising Nkala, Songoya and the late Richard Pazvakavambwa came out tops.
After Phiri and company departed the scene, the likes of Themba Ncube, Gabriel Chikomo, Phillip Mukomana, Savieri Ngidhi and Tryson Shonhayi continued the remarkable story of the Hwange athletics team.
At the time of his death, Phiri was working as a front end loader at the Colliery’s open cast mine.
He is survived by his wife Thulani and four children, Marvellous, Faith, Innocent and Prosper.
Online Reporter