Zim ready for SARPCCO Games

Freeman Razemba Sports Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Republic Police team are ready for the Southern Africa Regional Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisations Games in Swaziland next month.

The ninth edition of the SARPCCO Games will be held from July 22 to August 2.

The ZRP is expected to send a total of 198 athletes to participate in the Games.

The Games are meant to create a platform for police officers from the region to engage in fruitful interaction, sharing ideas on policing traditions and fostering regional friendship, understanding and cooperation through sport.

ZRP staff officer (sports) Joshua Tigere said their preparations were at an advance stage.

“Preparations are going on very well and we started camping last month. All our teams are practicing at Morris Depot, except for the darts team which is practicing at Chikurubi Support Unit,” he said.

Tigere said they were yet to select the final team.

“We already have a strong team and are going to do well during the Games to defend the title for the fourth time,” Tigere said.

Tigere said last week they visited Swaziland and the country was ready to host the Games. In January, the Royal Swaziland Police Service declared that their country was ready for the Games and promised a spectacle.

Addressing delegates from 14 countries during the launch of the Games in Swaziland, Royal Swaziland Police Deputy National Commissioner Sipho Dlamini said they were determined to host successful Games.

“Since inception of the Games in 1999, they were never hosted by the Kingdom of Swaziland,” said Dlamini.

“We are more than determined, with the assistance of our government, to give out the most memorable Games ever in the history of SARPCCO. These will be Games like never before,” Dlamini said.

In August 2013, Zimbabwe — for the third straight time — won the SARPCCO Games in Namibia.

Team Zimbabwe had won the games in Malawi and the Democratic Republic of Congo in the 2009 and 2011.