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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
THE Zimbabwe squad for this year’s edition of the Confederation of Schools Sport Associations of Southern Africa (Cossasa) track and field competition set for Namibia departs for the meet tomorrow morning.

Cynthia Khumalo, president of the National Association for Secondary Heads boldly declared yesterday that they were eyeing gold.
Zimbabwe are the defending champions having come up tops in last year’s competition held in Lesotho and it’s that feeling of victory that is still vivid in their minds which gives Khumalo the confidence that the 82 boys and girls that make up Team Zimbabwe, will once again raise the profile of the country’s schools sports sky high.

“We are ready and I say this with confidence. Our athletes have had intense training in the hands of our technical people under state of the art equipment at White City Stadium,” said Khumalo who will travel with the team for that much needed morale support.

The team has been camped at Northlea High School since May 1 and having two training sessions per day as they prepared for the annual athletics meet.

She said only the best athletes made it for final selection having gone through a gruelling selection process that started with house competitions at school level right up to inter provincial finals which were held at Torwood Stadium in Kwekwe this year.

“Every pupil was given a chance to be part of this team, no one was handpicked showing that the selection was done on merit,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Bulawayo Metropolitan Provincial Education Director Dan Moyo will this afternoon bid Team Zimbabwe farewell at a send off ceremony to be held at Northlea High School.

“Departure is Sunday but we are going to have our send off ceremony tomorrow afternoon (today). Bulawayo PED Moyo will be the guest of honour,” said Khumalo.

The Zimbabwe team will return home on May 17.