UPDATED:Bubi , Lupane set pace in Mat North district competitions

Sikhumkuzo Moyo in Victoria Falls

BUBI and Lupane districts were the early pacesetters in the Matabeleland North Naph and Nash inter-district track and field athletics competitions at Mosi oa Tunya High School in Victoria Falls yesterday.

Bubi district’s Naph team had bagged five gold and four silver medals by 2PM yesterday, while in the Nash event, Lupane had hauled six gold, two silver and one bronze medal.

The first gold medal of the day went to Nkayi district, whose athlete Mhleli Khumalo was the Under-16 boys 3 000m winner in a time of 10 minutes 03.63 seconds, relegating Bubi district’s Khulisani Mpala into second place in 10 minutes 17.69 seconds. Tsholotsho’s Asakheni Munga was third in 10minutes 29.22 seconds.

Tsholotsho scooped gold in the Under-18 girls 3 000m event when Bonakele Nkomo romped home in 10 minutes 58.91 seconds. Silver went to Brilight Munga of Binga in a time of 11 minutes 17.13 seconds, while Dalubuhle Linda of Nkayi settled for bronze in 11 minutes 59.14 seconds.

Umguza district’s Thembelihle Zulu was the toast of the girls’ Under-12 javelin event with a throw of 27.26m, with Learnmore Sibanda of Nkayi getting silver with her throw of 21.85m and Precise Munkuli of Binga getting bronze after throwing 17.72m.

In the Naph event, Craig Ndlovu of Thomas Coulter Primary School in Hwange took gold in the Under-14 boys’ 80m hurdles in a time of 15.01 seconds with Thembelihle Vundla of Nanda Primary School in Tsholotsho and Thabiseni Mudenda of Bulawayo Kraal Primary School in Binga getting silver and bronze medals in 15.41 seconds and 16.01 seconds respectively.

In the girls’ catergory of the same event, Dinyane Primary School of Tsholotsho’s Pamela Ngwenya took gold in 16.56 seconds and Faith Masuku of Zinyangeni in Nkayi took silver in 18.25 seconds. Thandeka Ncube of Monde in Hwange was the bronze medalist in 20.17 seconds.

With a good attendance from the Victoria Falls residents as well as pupils from schools in the resort town, the first day provided some very exciting competition which was complemented by an excellent event management from the organisers led by the Naph and Nash heads in charge of athletics.

Also present was Naph national president Cynthia Khumalo, who is also the Chinotimba Primary School headmistress.

The event continues this morning with the first event being the Under-14 girls’ 1 500m race. At the end of the competition today, the province will come up with its provincial team for the forthcoming national finals set for Kwekwe next week.

Naph medal table as at 2PM yesterday

G S B

Bubi 5 4 0

Hwange 5 2 2

Tsholotsho 3 3 5

Nkayi 2 3 0

Binga 2 2 3

Lupane 1 3 2

Umguza 0 1 6

Nash medal table as at 2PM yesterday

G S B

Lupane 6 2 1