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Allen Khumalo, Sports Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Primary Schools Chess Association (ZPSCA) will send 32 pupils to represent the country at the Africa Schools Championships to be held in Namibia from August 19-27.

ZPSCA chairperson Tongai Musarurwa said the selected pupils impressed during a National Primary Schools’ selection tournament that featured the country’s 10 provinces at Northlea High School in Bulawayo.

“The association held a selection competition which ran for three days and 32 pupils managed to book their places to represent the country in Namibia.

“This is the fourth year having this tournament and there is a sharp increase of players from rural areas who are developing and winning medals. It was a tough competition and what I gathered from it is that we have brilliant players because the rivalry was huge,” said Musarurwa.

The Africa Schools Championships will see teams competing in four categories, the Under-7, Under-9, Under-11 and Under-13.

In last year’s competition that was hosted by Zambia, Zimbabwe returned home with two medals after Refiloe Mudondo scooped gold and Rumbidzai Mawire won silver.

“This year we are hoping to improve on last year’s performance when we brought home two medals. We have the best players whom we trust will be able to make us proud as a nation. We have other youngsters like Amanda Sibanda, Ishmael Kaitano and Tawananyasha Mawire and these ones have really shown potential. Right now we have a team which is working tirelessly in various provinces to prepare the team for the competition,” he said.

— @khumzallen