Chronicle Editor
Innocent Kurira , Sports Reporter
THIS year’s edition of the Ingwebu Breweries Tug-of-War National Championships will be sponsored to the tune of US$11 500.
Winners in both the men’s and women categories will each get prize money. Accompanying the prize money will be various non-cash prices that include medals, T-shirts and Ingwebu products.
Finals of the event will take place at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair on Saturday.
The competition has become a traditional event at the fair and the draw for this year’s edition was conducted at a function last Friday.
The hugely popular competition is one of the main attractions on the last day of the ZITF.
Speaking during the draw, Ingwebu marketing manager Ayandiswa Maphosa said:” Ingwebu Breweries intends to continue to sponsor this special sporting event, and has done so, even during economically difficult times, an indicator of the organisation’s commitment to this sport.”
“The tug of war event has always generated excitement in the young and the more mature. We all look up to this special sporting event.
By allowing lady teams to participate in this event, and by ensuring female and male winning teams to receive equivalent awards, Ingwebu Breweries has been sensitive to gender in its sponsorship,” said Maphosa.
A total of 17 women’s teams have registered for the competition which has 23 men’s sides.
Exide Batteries from Harare are the defending men’s champions after coming out tops last year.
The men’s final pitted Exide Batteries and Bulawayo Metropolitan, with the team from Harare emerging victorious.
Mutare Board and Paper Mills, a team that has dominated this competition for years won the bronze when they saw off Bulawayo City Council in the third place playoff.
In the women’s final, Glow Petroleum walked away with the top prize with a win over City of Mutare in the final.
The bronze went to Bulawayo Metropolitan.
Prizes were the same for the men and women, with the teams finishing in the top three getting rewarded. -@innocentskizoe.
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