adminSenior Sports Reporter
WHITE City Stadium comes alive this morning when the African Union Sports Council Region 5 Under-20 Games’ athletics competition roars into life with the T11 800 metres women semi-finals. The stadium that now meets world class standards after undergoing massive renovations for the Games, is expected to be filled to the brim as athletics is one of the popular events after football in the country.
“It’s all systems go now. As we announced, athletics starts tomorrow,” said Stanley Mutoya, the Region 5 general manager yesterday.
Entry, like in other venues, is free of charge.
The first event will be the T11 800metres women semifinals, the first starting at exactly 9AM. The three semifinals will be followed by another 800metres women semifinal at 9.45AM. The morning session will end with three women and men 100metres semifinals. Javelin will be the first event to have a final just after 3PM, followed by women’s 3,000metres.
Hopes are high that Zimbabwe will do well in the competition as they seek to make full advantage of individual medals with the likes of Yvonne Vanhuvaone and Emakhandeni Secondary School’s Patience Gurure among the country’s medals hopefuls.
President Mugabe officially opened the Games yesterday afternoon during a well attended ceremony at Barbourfields Stadium.
The opening ceremony was also attended by the Senior Minister of State, Simon Khaya Moyo, chairman of the Sadc Council of Sports Ministers who is also Zimbabwe’s Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Andrew Langa and Ministers Emmerson Mnangangwa and Sithembiso Nyoni.
Many senior government and regional organising committee officials also witnessed the ceremony.
Online Reporter