Zimpapers Logo

Minister Makhosini Hlongwane

Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
THE Zimbabwe National Youth Games will be officially opened on August 20 at the Colliery Stadium in Hwange, with more than 20 000 people in attendance.

The identity of the guest of honour will be announced in due course. Sport and Recreation Minister Makhosini Hlongwane has previously indicated that he wants the Games to leave a lasting impression and show Government’s unparalleled commitment to the emancipation of youths through sport.

A high powered delegation comprising officials from the Ministry of Sport and Recreation as well as Sports and Recreation Commission is already in Matabeleland North to prepare for the official opening.

The revised Games now have two age groups, the Under-18s, consisting of largely school-going athletes, and Under-23s from the community, vocational and tertiary institutions as well as the uniformed forces.

According to chief executive officer of the local organising committee (Loc) Burzil Dube, accreditation is already underway and will run up to August 16, the day before competition gets underway at various venues across Matabeleland North.

A youth conference has been slated for the Edmund Davies Hall and Little Theatre by the committee on edutainment on August 23.

A total of 53 venues have been identified to play host to the various sport codes.

The bulk of the Games will be staged in Matabeleland North, including tennis, whose national leadership spiritedly tried to have it moved to Bulawayo on the basis of courts not being enough or up to standard.

However, Megawatt Primary School and the Hwange Tennis Courts will now be used for the Games.

Bulawayo will host hockey and cricket in both the Under-18 and Under-23 age groups at the Khumalo Hockey Stadium. The Old Mutual Heath Streak Cricket Academy will play host to the Under-18 cricket competition for both boys and girls, with the Bulawayo Athletics Club hosting the Under-23 ladies’ cricket and Busters Cricket Club the Under-23 men’s game.

Bulawayo Swimming Pool will be used for the two age groups’ competitions.

According to the final competition venues list released by the SRC, athletics will be held at the Hwange Colliery Stadium, with Mosi-oa-Tunya High in Victoria Falls hosting the Under-18 basketball and the Under-23 game being staged at the Sports Pavilion, Coalfields Primary, Makwika Village and Don Bosco College in Hwange.

Karatekas will also be based at Coalfields Primary, while Mosi-oa-Tunya will be home to chess, darts and handball.

Baobab Primary and Chamabondo Primary in Victoria Falls, Coalfields and Megawatt Primary schools in Hwange as well as the Old Ground and Chakona Stadium will be used for football.

Fatima High, Marist Brothers and Thomas Coulter Primary schools will be used for volleyball and table tennis respectively, with Edmund Davies and Lwendulu halls in Hwange playing host to boxing and weightlifting.

Netball will be held at Nechibondo Primary in Empumalanga suburb as well as Coalfields, Thomas Coulter and Old Ground in Lwendulu.

Army barracks 1.2 Infantry will be the venue for shooting, while rowing will be held at the Bubi Lupane Dam.

Victoria Falls Primary will play host to rugby. — @skhumoyo2000.