admin
Ellina Mhlanga
Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE Olympic Committee president Thabani Gonye has emphasised the need to recognise athletes for their efforts when they represent the country at major competitions.
Gonye was speaking at the official announcement of Team Zimbabwe for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games yesterday at the ZOC offices in Harare.
The Games are scheduled for July 26 to August 11.
Zimbabwe- to be represented in athletics, rowing and swimming- will be sending a delegation of 15 with seven athletes and eight officials.
The team was announced by Chef de Mission for the Games Ringisai Mapondera.
The seven athletes are Isaac Mpofu, Rutendo Nyahora (marathon), sprinters Tapiwanashe Makarawu and Makanakaishe Charamba (200m), rower Stephen Cox, swimmers Denilson Cyprianos and Paige van der Westhuizen.
ZOC have put together a substantial incentive package to motivate the team.
Gold medallists will get US$10 000, silver medallists will receive US$7 500 and for bronze its US$5 000.
“We want our athletes to know that at least we have an ambition for them to be rewarded and recognised for their efforts.
“And just for us to say thank you for being able to qualify, go and compete for the nation. So we are going to do our part.
“So what we have done is we have our incentives.
“For the gold medal it will be a five-digit figure…As Zimbabwe Olympic Committee we are going to still go out there and seek partners. Those that are willing to say we can top up, we will put another 10 percent.
“But we are going to put for our gold medallists US$10 000. And then for those who will get a silver we are going give them US$7 500 and then the bronze medallists will get US$5 000.”
Those who finish in the top 10 will also be rewarded.
“We have also a structure where we believe a marathoner finishing in the top 10 deserves to be rewarded. There will be a staggered structure of rewarding from 10 going down to the podium finishes or going down from 10 and then to the fourth place.
“Again, fourth place we will be looking at $2 500. That figure will be staggered downwards to reward those.
“Those that make finals in their events, you are talking of track, rowing, so far because those are the ones that are then not catered for in the top 10. Those that make the finals and make the top 10, they will again be rewarded in a staggered manner with the fourth getting the US$2 500 sliding scale,” said Gonye.
ZOC chief executive Marlene Gadzirayi urged the nation to rally behind the team.
“We really wish Team Zimbabwe all the best, and we are hoping that Zimbabwe rally behind this team because they are representing us.
“They have worked very hard to qualify. I always say you are not invited to the Olympics you qualify for the Olympics.
“Their journey has not been an easy one, and them qualifying to be at the world standard is something very commendable and so, as ZOC and as Zimbabwe, we also just want to wish them all the best.
“There are, most of them, training very hard all over the world in different countries where they are based and we will then see them in Paris based on their different time of participating,” said Gadzirayi.
United States-based Makarawu and Charamba will be continuing with their training in Europe in the remaining few weeks.
Nyahora has been training in South Africa.
Cyprianos will continue with his preparations in the United States and Van der Westhuizen is training in Scotland. Cox is in Belgium.
Mpofu has been training in Harare.
Mapondera said most of the athletes will fly directly to Paris from their respective bases and the flag bearer will be selected in Paris.
Team Zimbabwe
Athletics
Athletes: Isaac Mpofu, Rutendo Nyahora (marathon), Tapiwanashe Makarawu, Makanakaishe Charamba (200m).
Coach: Benson Chauke (marathon), Henry Tabarie (track and field coach and manager).
Rowing
Athletes: Stephen Cox (men’s single sculls).
Coach/Manager: Franz Imfeld.
Swimming
Athletes: Denilson Cyprianos (200m backstroke), Paige van der Westhuizen (100m freestyle).
Coach/Manager: Masi Adi Takaedza.
Team Management: Ringisai Mapondera (chef de mission), Sipiwe Kahiya (admin and welfare officer), Abigail Mnikwa (physiotherapist).
Online Reporter