Zimpapers Logo

Tadious Manyepo recently in WEDZA
A top Government official has challenged legislators to emulate their Wedza South counterpart Tinoda Machakaire’s efforts to promote the growth of sport in the country.

Speaking at the close of a $400 000-rich Tinmac Foundation Sports Tournament at St Anne’s Goto Mission on Sunday, Mashonaland East Provincial Affairs Minister Apollonia Munzverengwi, said leaders should be seen promoting sport in the country.

“It is an initiative which is quite plausible by Machakaire (Tinoda).

“It would be good if others can copy this good spirit and that way sport will be at another level in the country,” she said.

The tournament, which started in May, saw participants battling it out in several sport codes which include soccer, netball, pool, cycling as well as other traditional games like pada, tsoro, nhodo, needle and bottle races.

Goto Ward Community teams emerged winners in both netball and football after beating Zviyambe South and North in the finals respectively. On the other hand, Gumbonzvanda Secondary beat St Mary’s Makanda 2-0 while St Barnabas Ushe outclassed Madana 3-0 in the primary schools’ soccer category.

Goto Ward soccer coach, Anesu Tsvangirai, whose team laboured to a 4-3 penalty shoot-out victory over Zviyambe South, said the tournament has provided some insight in what needs to be done to improve sport in the country.

“Of course I am ecstatic my team managed to bag the ultimate prize but I also implore scouts to spare a thought for rural footballers. There is abundant raw talent which when tapped can be the answer to our national teams yawning deficiencies. I would like to hail Machakaire for this and I know one day some of the players to make a name internationally can be picked from tournaments like this. We will continue playing football as a team, the tournament has only challenged us to want to win more,” he said.

Former Premiership players David Redhiyoni and Vimbayi Madamombe, who hail from Wedza’s Hanje area, were part of Tsvangirai’s victorious team together with player of the tournament Joe Nyahuye.