Bulawayo pool players excel at national finals
Shingai Dhlamini, [email protected]
FOURTEEN pool players represented Bulawayo at the annual Carling Black Label National Finals held in Harare last weekend.
This tournament has been held annually since 2009.
A total of 64 men and as many women who qualified from across the country’s 10 provinces participated in the competition.
The provincial qualifiers kicked off on June 1 to July 27. Bulawayo was represented by eight men and six women.
Zimbabwe International Pool Association (Zipa), Bulawayo representative, Nomore Muzvidziwa said that this year the level of competition was high and the cash prizes were enticing.
“The prize structure was equal for both men and women. The winners walked away with a pool table plus US$2500 , runners- up got US$1500, third place US$1000 and fourth placed US$500,” said Muzvidziwa.
Godknows Musona from Mutare was crowned champion while the defending champion from Bulawayo Lindani Gumpo (now based in Harare) came second in the men’s category.
Clemence Gutse of Bulawayo came fourth.
Mercy Musekiwa from Harare was the winner in the women’s category after beating Flatta Moyo of Bulawayo in the final.
Muzvidziwa said that this event is huge on the pool calendar of Zimbabwe and this year’s edition had improved action.
“The tournament was a success in every respect, it is the biggest pool tournament on the Zimbabwean calendar based on both sponsorship and the number of participants.
“This year, the prizes were much improved from the last edition, which further increased competition and participation as every player wanted to win,” he said.
He said that players from Bulawayo did well despite missing the prizes.
“As Bulawayo, our players did very well although they failed to win, last year, we won the men’s category through Lindani Gumpo who has since joined the lucrative Harare’s Nevsun Pool League.
“Our best performer this year was Flatta Moyo who lost in the final in the women’s category while Clemence Gutse came out fourth in the men’s category. Our players promised to work harder and correct their mistakes made this year with the hope of winning in next year’s edition,” said Muzvidziwa.
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