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Tendai Rupapa-Senior Reporter

ATHLETES who represented Zimbabwe at the just-ended Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan are an inspiration for aspiring Olympians countrywide who are keen to tap into their experience, First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa has said.

She was speaking at a reception she hosted to welcome back athletes who represented the country at the Olympic games.

The First Lady, who has a passion for the empowerment of children through academics and sport, shared a story of how during her time, girls were discouraged from participating in sport.

She said it gives her joy to see girls now pursuing and doing well in sports. 

“Growing up we were told that girls don’t do sports, so most of my age groups did not do sports during our time though I had a passion for sports,” she said.

The mother of the nation said participating in sport had numerous health and economic benefits and in light of this, she felt honoured to welcome Team Zimbabwe athletes and officials. 

“Certainly special mention goes to the athletes and officials who went all the way to represent the country at these 32nd Games of the Olympiad. A confluence of the world’s sporting talents and epitome of excellence in the history of sporting competition,” she said. 

“You struggled, you persevered, you never gave up, and your Olympic dreams came true.”

The First Lady said though the team might not have brought medals, their performance and commitment to brand Zimbabwe inspired everyone.

“Many of your age mates are eager to hear your Olympic story, our story for it is indeed a Zimbabwean story. To you my children who came from the 10 provinces, you heard the stories of our athletes. This should inspire and give you encouragement in whatever you want to be in future,” she said.

To the athletes, the First Lady said: “We are convinced that your Olympic experiences and performances will help many talented disadvantaged children who have not had the opportunity like you. In our midst we have selected talented children who require your inspiration for them to realise that they can.”

The onus, the First Lady said, was on Donata Katai and Ngoni Makusha to meet and inspire as many people as they could who yearned to bask in the same glory .

“I urge you to use the same inspiration to inspire others. To make them believe that it is possible for you have done it. 

“As we approach Paris 2024 for the next Olympic Games, I would like to urge the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee to also place a high performance focus on talented, but disadvantaged children with a particular desire to enhance the competitiveness of this great nation in regional, continental and international spheres.

“I also believe it is within our reach to mould disadvantaged children in our communities through grassroots sport initiatives. It is on record that sport programmes can help counteract psychosocial, environmental and health issues as well as stress and loneliness. They contribute to physical fitness, mental well-being and social integration by providing a safe forum in which a child can develop physically, emotionally and mentally. 

“In situations where formal education is limited or unavailable, sport can act as a vehicle for learning. In view of this, I would like to sincerely request the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation as well as our Olympic Committee to make deliberate efforts to use sport as medium for social change for the disadvantaged children.”

The First Lady said it caught her attention during the Olympic Games that many of the athletes at the games were of school-going age. 

“I would therefore want to encourage the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to activate their systems and be aggressive in placing sport as an area of greater importance for children of school going age.

“It is now on the public domain that sporting persons are earning more hence the need to award the opportunity for participation in sport to all talented children regardless of their performances in conventional learning.” 

She said Zimbabwe’s participation at Tokyo 2020 was a milestone achievement in terms of the envisaged sport diplomacy as underlined in the National Sport and Recreation Policy. 

The First Lady congratulated Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Minister Kirsty Coventry for being appointed a full member of the International Olympic Committee Board having served as Chairperson of the Athletes Commission.

In his remarks, Ngoni Makusha said he felt honoured to be one of the five athletes who managed to represent Zimbabwe at the showcase.

“It was such a great honour for me to represent my country at the Olympics and all this was made possible by the help of the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee, the Ministry of Sport, Arts and Culture, the National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe and the Government of Zimbabwe as a whole,” he said.

“I am really glad I had a team behind me which was really supportive, my family and friends and my coaches David Tinago and Keegan Cooke played a big role in making sure I was ready for the games both physically and mentally.”

Chronicling his journey, Makusha said he realised his talent when he was in Grade One.

“Up to high school I was an athlete and along the way I would represent my school and my province in various competitions. It was not an easy journey, but I kept soldiering on.

“I later quit athletics and chose rugby, but after high school, I went back to athletics because that is where my strength is. Since then, I have never looked back and before Olympics, I had represented my country in many competitions,” he said.

Donata Katai said if she were to use one word to describe training for the Olympics, it would be hectic.

“I went to South Africa before the games and posted some of the worst times I have swam for a while, I received a lot of negative feedback from all around me and I know I would not have been able to get through this without Mrs Lobb and Keegan Cooke who constantly supported me and reassured me during training and my parents who supported me and motivated me from home,” she said. 

“Leading up to my race I was able to work on the finer details with the help of Peter Wetzlar and Lindsy Tudor-Cole. On the day of my race it all became real, I was going to swim at the Olympics and naturally I was petrified. The race was done in a flash and I remember looking up at the board, seeing my time and thinking ‘no way’. 

“I looked into the stands and I saw Peter and Lindsy waving and celebrating and then I got out of the pool and Honourable Minister Kirsty Coventry was standing with her thumbs up shouting well done! I was proud and beyond shocked. It was the best race I’d ever swam.”

Minister Coventry a great swimmer and gold medallist in her own right, also shared her previous experiences at the Olympics with the prospective future Olympians. She assured them that commitment was important in whatever they do.

Permanent Secretary Mrs Tumisang Thabela said the performance of the Zimbabwe Olympic Team raised much hope for learners and youth all over Zimbabwe.

This, she said, fitted in well with the transformative education that the competency-based curriculum speaks to.

The First Lady gave the aspiring Olympians an opportunity to mix and mingle with Donata and Ngoni.

During the question and answer segment, Leona Mangezi from Masvingo said sometimes she feels like giving up especially after losing as people who expect her to always win call her names when she fails.

In response Minister Coventry, said she faced similar situations in her time.

“I was also given nicknames, but though it made me angry, it never pulled me down. So even if you fall, dust yourself and try again, never give up on your dreams. Losing is not the end, it should inspire you to work harder,” she said.

Devotion Mutudza from Mutare said the athletes motivated him and thanked the First Lady for the opportunity.

“Whenever we lost in competition, we felt like quitting but from what has been said by my brother Ngoni, I have learnt something. He has told us his history from where he started right up to now. 

“He told us that in some competitions he would win while he would fail in others, but he never gave up. I am going to train harder so that I reach this milestone. I want to thank Amai, the First Lady for affording us this opportunity to meet our role models,” he said.

Donata said it was essential for athletes to work hard so that they excel.

“Hard work pays, you should all strive to do more in whatever you do to be a better athlete. There is always a room for improvement. Also do not only rely on your coaches. Even at home alone, train hard,” she said.