Zone C awards outstanding students

By Thandiwe Moyo
ZONE C athletics, music, drama and public speaking students were on Friday rewarded for their sterling performances throughout the year at a ceremony held at Sizane High School.
The zone comprises schools in Mzilikazi District which include Mandwandwe, Ihlathi, Emganwini, Nketa, Lobengula, Sizane and Nkulumane,
This is the first time that a zone has held its own awards ceremony.
Guest of honour at the occasion, Bulawayo Women’s Soccer Association chairperson Gladys Utete urged teachers, parents and students to desist from cheating as it defeats the whole purpose of competitiveness.
“I want to appeal to all stakeholders, cheating is not ubuntu (humanity). It is morally bad. It defeats the whole objective and ideals of sport. Do                    you think it would be worthwhile to make heroes out of cheats? It would be like going to Khami Prison to crown the inmates so let us not be rated among those who cheat,” she said.
Utete said fair play should be the standard in all the sporting disciplines.
She said for the school and athletes to excel they have to work together and that there is no need to look for expertise out of the country.
“We have the expertise here and there is no need to go overseas to train. We have Zimbabweans who are doing well in other countries. These are products of our  local coaches and you should be proud of and confident in our coaches. Coaches also need to have a more scientific approach to training. You can only do this through training and the school is obliged to assist you but where they cannot, it is a challenge for you to take,” she said.
Zone C convenor head, Deborah Manyoba said they were recognising athletes who had excelled this year in all the sporting disciplines .
“We want to encourage our athletes so that they know that sport is also an education and they can be rewarded for their efforts. We want to see them prepare for their future in sports and that they also know that being awarded starts at school level,” she said.
The athletes were awarded prizes in soccer, netball, volleyball, handball, softball, baseball, cricket, basketball and athletics. There were also awards for chess, music, drama, debate and public speaking.
Some of the athletes who won awards include Gladman Sibanda of Sizane who was given an accolade for his outstanding performance in the Under-20 boys 800m. He also set a new provincial record of one minute 56 seconds in the event.
Brian Nhlanhla Banda also from Sizane was awarded for his 49 second sprint in the Under-18 boys 400m event.
Kenneth Chibwana of Nkulumane was given an award for the under-18 boys 100m for his 11 second sprint during the Inter provincial Championships held at Nust early this year.
Martha Sibanda, a long distance runner with Emganwini Secondary School was honoured for winning the Under-16 championship.
In the debate and public speaking category Sizane’s Joy Rukanzakanza, was presented with an award for winning the provincial junior championship while Lucy Mabhikwa of Ihlathi was also awarded for the same.
Lobengula were outstanding in handball this year as they won at zonal and national level in the  Under-20 boys and girls and Under-16 girls categories.
The Under-20 boys went on to win a gold medal at the national championships while the Under-16     girls received bronze and the Under-20 girls were               fifth.
The Nketa drama team were awarded a prize for being the Best Zonal Group which took them to Swaziland early this year while Sizane choir who were second at provincial level were awarded as well.
Both groups were given $100 each.
Teams were presented with balls and kits while individuals received t-shirts and certificates.
Awards
Team Prizes
Soccer: Mandwandwe (Under-15 boys), Mandwandwe (Under-16), Ihlathi (Under17 boys), Sizane (Under-20 boys), Ihlathi (Under-20 girls)
Netball: Emganwini (Under-16 girls), Emganwini (Under-20 girls)
Volleyball: Ihlathi (Under-17 boys), Nketa (Under-17 girls), Ihlathi (Under-20 boys) Maranatha (Under-20 girls)
Handball: Lobengula (Under-20 boys), Lobengula (Under-16 girls), Lobengula (Under-20 girls)
Softball: Mandwandwe (Best Zonal Team girls)
Baseball: Nkulumane (Best Zonal Team girls), Ihlathi (Best Zonal Team boys)
Cricket: Sizane (Under-16 boys)
Basketball: Nkulumane (Under14-boys), Ihlathi (Under-14 girls), Nkulumane (Under-16 boys), Ihlathi (Under-16 boys) Ihlathi (Under-16 girls), Nkulumane (Under-20 girls), Ihlathi (Under-20 girls), Nkulumane (Under-20 boys)
Music: Sizane (Best Choir second position Provincial Level)
Drama: Nketa (Best Zonal Drama Group)
Individual Prizes
Athletics- Marathon: Martha Sibanda (Emganwini under-16 girls), Pretty Moyo (Emganwini Under-20 girls), Rejoice Ndlovu (Nketa Under-16 girls), Nobuhle Musuma (Nketa Under-16 girls), Talent Sibanda (Mandwandwe (Under-20 girls), Mthabisi Fuzane (Under-20 boys), Charlson Phiri (Sizane Under-18 boys), Thamsanqa Moyo (Ihlathi Under-20 boys)
Track and Field: Talent Chitambara (Sizane Under-18 giels 200m and 800m hurdles), Tryphine Maruza (Maranatha Under-18 400m), Christangel Dube (Emganwini Under-16 girls discus), Gladman Sibanda (Sizane under-20 800m), Brain Banda (Sizane Under-18 boys 400m), Kenneth Chibwana (Nkulumane Under-18 boys 100m), Mthabisi Fuzane (Nketa Under-20 boys 1 500m), Filda Shaniza (Ihlathi Under-16 girls 100m and 200m)
Debate and Public speaking: Joy Rukanzakanza (Sizane), Lucy Mabhikwa (Ihlathi)
Chess: Tly Musasa (Sizane Under-14 girls), Tapiwanashe Chakonza (Nkulumane (Under-14 boys), Nomalanga Mathe (Nkulumane Under-16 girls), Angelas Dube Sizane Under-16 girls), Precious Juba (Mandwandwe Under-16 girls), Ndabezinhle Dube (Sizane Under-18 boys), Patrice Sibanda (Mandwandwe Under18 boys), Roxxana Khumalo (Under-20 girls), Phakamani Sithole (Mandwandwe Under-20 boys), Moud Mpofu (Sizane under-13 girls), Leonard Takaruhla (Nkulumane under-15 boys), Sifiso Ncube (Sizane Under-13 boys), Simingenkosi Nkomo (Nkulumane Under-20 girls)