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A 35-member Zimbabwean gymnastics team was a force to reckon with at the recently held African Union Sports in Namibia.
Team Zimbabwe was made up of Women Artistic Gymnastics (WAG) pre-junior, junior and senior, TUMB Trampoline pre-junior, junior and senior.
The team scooped level six overall team bronze, level eight,A� two individual bronze medals and medals obtained by Gugulami Kandawasvika and Paris Govere.
In all the team walked away with one silver and Amy Shoniwa scooped gold, Nyash Munzvandi took silver while Alexandra Hencil brought home bronze.
Though gymnastics is not much celebrated in Zimbabwe, Gymnastics Zimbabwe secretary, Rodwell Ngadziore said that a lot still needed to be done.
a�?In order for gymnasts teams to do better in the regional youth games, we must have a proper junior development procedure and planning programme for the team which will enable the selection of the best athletes for the best team which participates in the regional youth games,a�? said Ngadziore.
Also speaking on the success of the team, Ngadziore added that if Zimbabwe is to move forward and become recognisable in international gymnastics scenes there is a need to invest in infrastructure.
a�?To get talent the sport must be spread around the whole country meaning each and every city must have a gymnastics activity from ward, district, and province up to national level. But this is not applicable at the current moment as gymnastics is an indoor sport which requires training hall structure with proper and standardised equipment for tumbling since it might be dangerous to practise it without safety apparatus,a�? he said. He added that schools also had a major role to play.
a�?All stakeholders with the interest of sport are invited and allowed to support the well being of sport, both in schools and community. Just like any other sport code schools must adopt gymnastics programmes,a�? he said.
The games were held on 5 to 10 December in Walvis Bay.
Online Reporter