admin
Ellina Mhlanga
Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE Olympic Committee president, Thabani Gonye, says it’s time the country start taking the necessary steps towards addressing the gaps within the local sporting structures.
Peter Purcell-Gilpin (rowing), Donata Katai (swimming) Peter Wetzlar (swimming), Ngoni Makusha (athletics) and Scott Vincent (golf) represented Zimbabwe at the Tokyo Games.
But, they all came short in the battle for medals.
“The team has generally performed very well, relative to what we, as ZOC expected, from the five athletes representing Zimbabwe, at the Tokyo Games,’’ said Gonye.
“First, as a sports family, and as a nation, we must be concerned at the low number of athletes, or teams, achieving high performance, or elite standards, to qualify for top level competitions, such as the Tokyo 2020.
“The elephant in the room, so to speak, is that the number of athletes reaching elite levels does not tally with the talent we have across all our sporting codes, in the country.
“We have talent in Zimbabwe.
“We must agree that the number is too low and we must also agree that we can do better here without finger pointing.
“Tokyo 2020 Games must be a time to reflect, introspect, and look the beast in the eye.
“We must act immediately, from the lessons learnt from Tokyo 2020 to work on, at least, doubling or trebling, our individual athletes qualifying for Paris 2024, plus a sport code team.’’
Gonye underscored the need for integration and organised structures informed by research, using sports science and technology, as the foundation for athletes development pathway.
“The framework and model for LTHP strategy is in place to go but can be accelerated by willing partners, to come on board with the ZOC, and our National Federations, to implement and operationalise, to realise our athletes dreams.
“The ZOC strategy plan (2021 — 2025) short-term, and through to 2028 medium-term cycle, is scheduled for mid-September 2021, to guide the NOC’s vision and focus, for 5-10 year cycle planning for athletes development pathway, and align the structures to work with the business plans.
“We must monitor and evaluate our performances, at all levels, to create a high performance culture in the sports movement,” said Gonye.
He said the National Olympic Committee were alive to the fact they need to increase the numbers of athletes, who qualify for the Olympics, and improve their preparation.
“We will be rolling out a series of teams and upcoming Games projects, after reviewing outcomes of these Games, and in line with the strategy in engaging prospective private sponsors, stakeholders, partners and the Government, to invest in our various team projects.
“For instance, for Paris 2024, Athletes Scholarship and High Performance squad project, ZOC, through Olympic Solidarity grant, will have seed funding grants for individual athletes, who will after sports scientists test, analyse and vet those that are suitable to invest in, for quick wins in 2024, and long-term potential in 2028, and beyond.
“Some of those athletes may be from your Tokyo 2020 team and some of them may be as young Under-12s, to target 2026 YOG (Youth Olympic Games) and the 2028 Games,” said Gonye.
Gonye said there was need for local support.
“This is a Zimbabwean team, and must be funded by Zimbabweans, sport builds and unites a nation,’’ said Gonye.
“We had the critical key stakeholder attending these Games, so we can all have a common appreciation of elite Games, and what it takes to be at this level.
“Our partners, stakeholders and our Government should get behind Team Zimbabwe, for Paris 2024 now, and sponsorship be in annual rolling cycles and not wait for 2024.
“Nurturing an Olympic medal winner, or finalist, is a long-term project. We must invest a seed now for long-term and sustained success.’’
Online Reporter