Zim Olympians head for Paris

Ellina Mhlanga

Senior Sports Reporter

TEAM Zimbabwe chef de mission for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games Ringisai Mapondera says they are settling well as team members start trickling in for the global multi-sport show-piece.

The Games will be officially opened on Friday and will run until August 11.

Zimbabwe have seven athletes competing in athletics, rowing, and swimming.

For athletics, they will be represented by sprinters Makanakaishe Charamba and Tapiwanashe Makarawu. They both qualified for 200m. Isaac Mpofu and Rutendo Nyahora will carry the nation’s hope in the marathon.

In swimming, they have Paige van der Westhuizen and Denilson Cyprianos while Stephen Cox will compete in rowing.

Mapondera left for Paris last week together with the admin and welfare officer Sipiwe Kahiya to ensure everything is in place when athletes arrive.

Cox was the first to arrive in Paris while Cyprianos arrived yesterday. Van der Westhuizen was also expected late yesterday.

“We have Stephen Cox; he is already here.

“He has been preparing, he has been doing his practices. In the morning he leaves for the venue where rowing will take place and comes back around 11am. Also, he is doing gym work in the afternoons,” said Mapondera.

Cox will be the first Zimbabwean athlete in action with rowing getting underway on July 27 and the men’s single sculls heats are set for the morning. The rowing competition runs until August 3. Swimming also starts on July 27 and ends on August 4.

However, Zimbabwe’s representatives Van der Westhuizen and Cyprianos will be up for competition from July 30 and 31 respectively when their events begin with the heats.

Van der Westhuizen is competing in the women’s 100m freestyle and Cyprianos is going for the men’s 200m back-stroke.

Makarawu and Charamba are expected in France today. The athletes are travelling based on their competition schedule and the marathon runners Isaac Mpofu and Rutendo Nyahora will be the last to join the rest of the team with their events scheduled for August 10 and 11 respectively.

“Makarawu and Charamba we are still waiting for their arrival although we understand they are close in neighbouring countries. They are in Germany; they should arrive tomorrow.

“So, at the moment in camp, we have Stephen Cox and Denilson. Denilson arrived today. We are expecting Paige later on today.

“We also have the physiotherapist; she is here Abigail Mnikwa. And I have the swimming coach (Masi Takaedza), who arrived yesterday (Sunday).

“So, we are settling in well, and the team. We are expecting to have a complement of five in the next two, three days,” said Mapondera.

Athletics competition is scheduled for August 1 to 11.