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Senior Sports Reporter
THE Zimbabwe team returned home yesterday with four gold medals after finishing second in the Zone 6 Youth Darts Championship held in Windhoek, Namibia. Botswana were the overall winners of the biannual tournament that ran from Monday to Wednesday. Zimbabwe’s gold medals were won by Brendon Ncube and Immaculate Makombe in the closed singles’ Under-15 boys’ and girls’ finals respectively.

The Zimbabweans also came out tops in the Under-15 boys’ and girls’ team events. The Under-18 girls’ team settled for silver after failing to overcome South Africa. Buhle Bhebhe and Makombe also won silver in the closed Under-15 doubles’ final.

It was an all-Zimbabwe affair in the Under-15 girls’ final, which saw Makombe beating Patience Bhazile.

Brendon Ncube also edged his fellow Zimbabwean Wayne Ncube to scoop gold in the Under-15 boys’ final. Bhebhe and Vimbainashe Nhimba were joint bronze medallists in the Under-15 girls.

“I am happy with the overall performance of the team as they did us proud,” said National Darts Association of Zimbabwe (NDAZ) president Maynard Moyo, while addressing the team at Eveline High School. I also want to encourage you to take your school work seriously. While you do your practice sessions, it’s important to remember to read your books as well because education is your life,” said Moyo.

Zimbabwe, South Africa, Lesotho, Malawi, Botswana and hosts Namibia took part in the three-day tournament. Namibia failed to take advantage of home support and emerged last, while Lesotho were fifth, Malawi fourth and South Africa third.

The next tournament will be hosted by Lesotho in 2017.