Monica Cheru-Mpambawashe recently in Bindura
Masvingo province are the 2015 National Association of Primary Heads (NAPH) Athletics champions after edging title defender Mashonaland West to second place. The national competition was held on Wednesday and Thursday at Trojan Mine Stadium in Bindura, courtesy of Mashonaland Central province. The event was sponsored by Nestle Zimbabwe under their Healthy Kids initiative in which they are pushing for all children to eat balanced diets and make physical exercise a part of everyday life.

For coming first Masvingo went home $3 000 richer while Mashonaland West pocketed $2 000 and third placed Manicaland got $1 000. Every other province received $500.

Primary school children who had won provincial competitions battled to be the best of the best nationally in athletics and field events including javelin, discus, high jump and long jump.

It was a close race in which Masvingo won 14 gold medals and Mashonoland West went home with 13. So close was the battle that at the end of the second day it looked like Mashonaland West would successfully defend their title with Masvingo in second place.

Yvonne Chauke, the fast U14 sprinter of Masvingo who won two gold medals in Zambia last year consistently showed the other athletes a clean pair of heals as she easily won all her races.

All in all Masvingo deserved to be in first place as they demonstrated that they really rule the roost by winning a total of 40 medals while second placed Mashonaland only managed 28. The host Mashonaland Central province did not walk away empty handed either after their physical education team won the gold medal.

Competitions are about more than just winning. They are also about making new friends visiting new areas. The good part is that every province managed to produce star athletes in one discipline or another and all of them will be represented at the Confederation of Schools Sport Athletics Association games to be held in Lesotho in April.

Those who do well there can look forward to going to the All-Africa and AU games in a few years. Then who knows, maybe they will become the next Usain Bolts and put Zimbabwe on the world athletics map as the likes of Ngoni Makusha and Faith Masango.

We say, go Team Zimbabwe go, and we look forward to celebrating more victories in Maseru.

 

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