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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
BULAWAYO province is confident of winning the Delta Beverages sponsored Carling Black Label Pool national finals being held at Raylton Sports Club in the city today.

Eighty players, who include 64 men and 16 women, from the country’s 10 provinces, will battle it out for honours in the finals. The men’s winner will take home $1,000, a trophy and three cases of Carling Black Label, while the women’s champion will pocket $500 and two cases of Carling Black Label.

Bulawayo Pool Association secretary-general Russell Mukutya said their players had been working hard to ensure that the men and women’s titles remain in Bulawayo.

Obert Nyarumwe of Chitungwiza and Zvishavane’s Someya Mulauzi are the men and women’s defending champions respectively.

Bulawayo is being represented by seven players, Stanley Mako of Entumbane, Wellington Mangore (Southwold), Exchange’s duo of Terrence Mhindu and Osborne Dziko, Wisdom Mkhize of Kings and the pair of Lindani Gumbo and Ronald Mutikani of The Lounge in the men’s category and Christine Sengwe and Shylet Musono in the women’s event.

“There is no way we can miss out on winning some medals at this tournament. The guys have been working hard to make sure that the champions come from Bulawayo. Mhindu and Mkhize have in the past participated in these finals and we expect them to give tips to players who are competing for the first time,” said Mukutya.

The men’s runner-up will get $600 and two cases of Carling Black Label with the third play-off winner getting $300, a t-shirt, cap and a case of Carling Black Label.

The player who will finish fourth will pocket $200, a t-shirt, cap and a case of Carling Black Label. Losing quarter-finalists will each get $100, a t-shirt, cap and a case of Carling Black Label.

The women’s for losing finalist will get $300, $150 for third place and $50 for a fourth place finish.

The organisers of the tournament will also give away 16 pool tables to lucky Carling Black Label consumers that entered a competition that has been running during the duration of the provincial qualifiers that lasted two months.

For one to stand a chance of winning a pool table, they had to purchase five units of Carling Black Label from either the 375ml pack or 750ml pack or 330ml and 440ml cans, attach five crowns or five red ring pulls to an entry form.

Delta Beverages marketing manager Patricia Murambinda described the competition as a “win-win” for everyone as they enjoyed big value for their money and entertainment.