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Tirivashe Nheweyembwa

Sports Reporter
THE Sports Commission have said the build-up to the National Youth Games is on course despite the postponement of the event.

The Games were set to start today in Matabeleland North but their commencement has been moved to Sunday and will end on August 27 as per the initial schedule. But all participants are expected in the hosting province on Saturday ahead of the competition the following day.

This year’s Games will see participants competing in 22 sporting disciplines. And of those 22 — cycling, cricket, hockey, handball and swimming will be staged in Bulawayo while the majority remain in Matabeleland North.

Sports Commission corporate communications officer Tirivashe Nheweyembwa yesterday said provinces were still making their final team entries to the local organising committee.

“The Games process is unfolding well, at the moment I can confirm that the provinces are still doing their final team entries to the LOC. “The Games are expected to start on 19 August. This shift has been necessitated by the need to give provinces ample time to constitute their teams to the Games.

“Furthermore I need to overtly state that athletics will be hosted in Hwange at Hwange Colliery stadium and not Bulawayo as previously alleged in some quarters,” said Nheweyembwa.

Nheweyembwa said they are still appealing to the corporate world and well-wishers for assistance to successfully host the Games. “Since the Games are being hosted in Hwange, Lupane, Dete and Victoria Falls, LOCs in those areas are now in place and things have shaped up. However, we are still and we will continue to appeal for support towards the Games, this may be in cash or kind, no donation is too small.

“We are therefore appealing to the citizens of this country to rally behind this noble initiative which is meant to identify sporting talent. “Our sport cannot go far if we don’t deliberately support such development programmes like the Zimbabwe National Youth Games,” said Nheweyembwa.

The Games have since been spread to tertiary institutions and uniformed forces this year and will include the Under-23s.

“In an attempt to ensure that we cover the majority of the talented but disadvantaged athletes we have spread the Games to the tertiary institutions, agricultural colleges, schools and the military services.

“So far we are happy and extremely humbled by their level of support from these platforms, our appeal is to the corporate world to support us,” added Nheweyembwa.

Marist Brothers Dete will hosts table tennis while Fatima High School in Lupane host women and girls’ football.

Volleyball, netball, basketball, boxing, pool and karate will be in Hwange while Victoria Falls play host to golf, rugby, chess and weight lifting.