adminSikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE is set to take 100 athletes to the 11th edition of the African Games that return to their birthplace, Brazzaville, Congo in September. The Games will run from September 4 to 19 and athletes will compete in 22 different sporting disciplines that include sport for people with disabilities. Rugby was set to be the 23rd discipline but was dropped after the continental sports confederation indicated that they were not ready to introduce it.
“Our chances of a medal were high in rugby but unfortunately the sport’s confederation said it was not yet ready to introduce it. It would have been for the first time in the history of the continental games to have rugby,” said Team Zimbabwe marketing and public relations officer Dave Simba.
Simba expressed faith in the 100 selected athletes saying they were capable of hauling a sizeable number of medals.
“The selection process was no longer about coming first like before, but we followed set minimum standards that saw us coming up with medal hopefuls, not just numbers, except maybe in football where the teams went through qualifying matches,” Simba said.
He said the national Under-23 soccer team would only travel with 18 players and two officials, leaving out other members of coach Callisto Pasuwa’s technical staff.
Veteran administrator Joseph Muchechetere would be Team Zimbabwe’s Chef de Mission and the athletes are all expected to go into a two-week training camp in August ahead of their departure for Brazzaville.
“We have since started the resource mobilisation process and have already received a good show of intent from some corporate bodies. We still urge others to come forward and support the team,” said Simba.
Zimbabwe will be hoping to perform better at the Games and surpass their 1995 showing during which they emerged sixth as hosts.
In 1995 Zimbabwe won six gold, six silver and 23 bronze medals while winners South Africa amassed a massive 64 gold, 51 silver and 31 bronze medals.
In the last Games in 2011, Team Zimbabwe finished 11th with six gold, seven silver and two bronze medals.
South Africa again won the games with 61 gold, 55 silver and 40 bronze medals.
Angola will be the next African Games hosts in 2019.
2015 African Games sport codes Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Cycling, Fencing, Football, Handball, Judo, Traditional Karate, Karate, Pétanque, Rugby, Swimming, Tennis, Table, Tennis, Taekwondo, Volleyball, Weightliting, Wrestling
Previous Games hosts: Congo (1965), Nigeria (1973), Algeria (1978), Kenya (1987), Egypt (1991), Zimbabwe (1995), South Africa (1999), Nigeria (2003), Algeria (2007), Mozambique (2011).
Online Reporter