WATCH: Sobukhazi wins athletics champs

SOBUKHAZI High School known for its former football and volleyball dominance are the 2024 Bulawayo Reigate District Inter-Schools Track and Field champions.

They dominated the two-day event which ended at White City Stadium yesterday where some good and promising athletics talent was in view.

Barring poor officiating or lack of qualified personnel or equipment some of the times posted were too good to believe.

Sobukhazi athlete Mzi Ncube fired warning shots with a blistering 100m in the boys’ 20 and Under age group hitting the tape in a hand-timed 10.06 seconds.

Two other times adding a silver and bronze medal to the school’s tally on Tuesday were recorded.

Methembe Tshuma ran in 10.25 seconds and Alpha Mpofu in 10.32 seconds were on fire for the school all three being times that will certainly have the National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe officials keen to monitor them.

Sobukhazi amassed 54 medals, 29 gold, 13 silver and 12 bronze.

They topped the standings on the strength of a higher number of the more prestigious golds as second placed Vusumuzi Mlilo coached Northlea walked away with 26 having tallied 66 medals.

Northlea a powerhouse in basketball back in the day, posted 19 silver and 21 bronze to walk away with most medals won in the championships.

Entumbane had 45, Mzilikazi fourth with 35, Luveve 20, Prestige 13, with V Mhlophe winning a paltry two medals one gold and one silver.

In the boys’ 15 and Under 80m hurdles of Northlea, Lian Holland showed his opponents a clean pair of heels winning in 12.01 seconds. Second was Junior Sibanda of Entumbane in 14.40 seconds and third spot going to to Bongani Moyo of Mzilikazi in 14.45 seconds.

Luveve were to walk away with gold in the girls’ event, Ropafadzo Tekere finished 14.40 seconds, with Abigarl Ngiradzi of Northlea second in 14.45 seconds and Nkosinothando Dube third in 15.16 seconds.

Dube runs for Entumbane.

There were promising times in the girls’ 15 and Under 100m won by Ntombifuthi Nyarenda of Mzilikazi who hit the tape in 12.85 seconds as her teammate Blessed Kanjala was second in 13.37 seconds and Moreblessing Nkomo was third in 13.44 to add bronze to Northlea’s tally.

In the boys’ 100m of the 15 and Under group Stanley Fourpence was first for Entumbane in 11.52 seconds, his teammate Thabani Mathobela second in 11.56 and Peace Makuyana adding a third medal for the school in a time of 12.21 seconds.

Mzilikazi whose alumni list includes legendary football figures like Peter Ndlovu, Lawrence Phiri, Billy Sibanda, Paul Tsumbe, Douglas Maneto, Adam Maseko, Vusumuzi Nyoni, Johannes Ngodzo, Lovejoy Mugadza and Mpumelelo Dzowa, had an impact in the same distance, Siphosenkosi Nkomo was first in 11.09 seconds.

Mzilikazi’s Presley Shawarira was second in 11.41 seconds.

Lestiroji Ncube of Emakhandeni was third in 11.87 seconds.

Holland who starred in the 100m returned to the podium with a 200m win in 23.65 seconds.

Fourpence was second in the 23.99 seconds in the boys’ 200m with Peace Makuyana 24.53 seconds added bronze to Luveve.

In the 17 and Under boys’ 200m Siphosenkosi Nkomo was first in 22.50 seconds with Prestige’s Raymond Zvinorova in 22.80 seconds and Sobukhazi’s Terrence Ndlovu in 23.22 seconds.

A new heroine in athletics may have been unveiled yesterday in Nonhlanhla Dube who ran a pulsating 22.50 seconds 100m adding gold to Entumbane. Nicole Moyo of Sobukhazi was second in 27.91 seconds and Northlea’s Rejoice Dlodlo 28.28 seconds.

Sobukhazi proved their worth in the sprints with yet another dominance with Alpha Mpofu winning the 200m race in 21.37 seconds, his teammate Methembe Tshuma 21.81 and Arthur Mauwa’s 22.56 good enough for bronze for St Columba’s.