Acting Team Zimbabwe chef de mission, Joseph Muchechetere, was informed of the deadline when he attended the first chef de mission meeting in Maputo on April 29 and 30.

Before leaving for Maputo, Muchechetere, who is also the Sports Commission’s director for sports development, had held a meeting with some of the associations and the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee.
“For now we need to polish up our teams and so that we make up our lists by June 15. This has been set as the date for

submission for accreditation for all the teams. We are lucky as Zimbabwe because our preparations for the All-Africa Games started soon after the last edition in Algiers. So our preparations appear to be on course and most of the associations now know the athletes they need to field for the Games,” said Muchechetere.

During the meeting in Maputo, Muchechetere also sought to find the qualifying standards for martial arts and sports for people with disabilities.

“It has come out that qualification for most of these disciplines is being guided by the rules and regulations of the continental sports bodies,” said Muchechetere.

There will be 26 disciplines on offer in Maputo and Zimbabwe are looking at sending athletes to compete in at least nine of the events.

The men’s and women’s soccer teams are on course for qualifying while the women’s basketball team have already sealed their place to the finals. The men’s basketball side are hoping for a wildcard entry while the netball side has also booked their berth.

Canoeing, table tennis and taekwondo are also hoping to field athletes at the Maputo Games which will run from September 3 to 18.

The Zimbabwe Aquatic Union are also hoping to include the swim queen Kirsty Coventry in the team while the athletes teams is also another strong contender for medals.

Some athletes are already intensifying their preparations under the Olympic Solidarity scholarship as they will use the All Africa Games to prepare for the Olympic Games in London in 2012. In July, Muchechetere is hoping to attend the second chef de mission meeting in line with other preparatory meetings.

“This was the first meeting and we hope to have a follow up on the accreditation and payments,” he said.
Muchechetere said 98 percent of countries in Africa were represented at the meeting in Maputo where they also inspected the facilities to be used for the Games.

“I must say that we were impressed with the state of preparedness of Maputo.
“Mozambique only picked on the offer three years ago after Zambia indicated that they will not be able to host the competitions.

“So far the main football ground is ready and it’s just like ours (the National Sports Stadium) but it has modern facilities and bucket seats.

“The stadium also has a track and there are also six other stadiums.
“Apart from the main stadium, some are under renovation. Mozambique have also constructed a Games Village in Mutola which is 14km outside Maputo to house some 7 000 people,” said Muchechetere.

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