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Takudzwa Chitsiga Sports Reporter
UPCOMING athlete Vimbai Maisvorewa is seeing her prospects of representing Zimbabwe at the Africa Junior Track and Field Championships vanishing into thin air as she is struggling to fund her trip to Ivory Coast. Maisvorewa is facing a shortfall of US$100 and RTGS$600 to cater for her kit and travel needs. The 18-year-old managed to set new records in athletics after being discovered in the Osborne Dam community and offered a scholarship at Hillcrest College where she is doing Lower Six. The school’s athletics coach Ted De Wolfe said the teenager, who has won several medals in international competitions, has been hampered by lack of funding.

“Vimbai is not just a super athlete. She deserves every chance to use her God-given talent and to move forward with her career, but funding has been a huge challenge. She was born in humble circumstances, but is gifted incredibly in sport,” said De Wolfe.

Maisvorewa was scouted from the community and offered a full bursary by Hillcrest College, where she has made it to national championships and set new records in 400m and long jump. On April 13, she is meant to travel to Cote d’Ivoire, but the school has emptied their coffers and her coach De Wolfe took an advance on his salary to help fund the trip.

“We are now out by US$100 and $600 bond notes so that this young girl can go and represent our country. Teachers at Hillcrest have voluntarily taken part of their salaries to give to Vimbai because they know her future is bright.