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YOUNG Mighty Warriors’ African Union Sports Council Region 5 Under-20 Youth Games team coach Sithethelelwe “Kwinji 15” Sibanda has expressed concern at the level of fitness of her players which she attributed to an inconsistent local league. Sibanda, though, remains optimistic that the young girls will come through and will be ready, physically and mentally by the time the Games begin on December 5.

Zimbabwe opened their march in the Games with a match against defending champions Zambia at Barbourfields Stadium. Kwinji, who is also former Mighty Warriors’ player, said that the fitness levels are a bit worrying but also understandable because the league has not been that consistent while some of the players have been busy with their public examinations. She also said that they are going to work hard on them so that they get back to at least minimum fitness levels.

The Mighty Warriors have been in camp at Bulawayo Polytechnic since Friday while holding their training sessions at Gifford High School, twice per day. Of the 20 girls called up, eight are yet to report for camp due to public examinations going on. The order by Zimsec for Maths and English Ordinary Level papers to be rewritten after they were leaked is likely to further delay some of the girls from joining camp.

Kwinji said that the team’s other challenge also is that Under-20s are not like a senior team where there is a bit of consistency in the team line-up.

For example, they only have three survivors from the last Region 5 Games which were held in Zambia, so it means every time they literally have to build a new team. She said her technical team will work hard to position the girls physically and mentally as they count down to the Games because some of them haven’t been exposed to international competitions.

Young Mighty Warriors’ fixtures

December 5: Zimbabwe v Zambia (Barbourfields, 5PM)
December 6: Namibia v Zimbabwe (Barbourfields, 5PM)
December 8: Botswana v Zimbabwe (Luveve, 230PM)
December 11: Zimbabwe v South Africa (Luveve 11AM). – The Chronicle.