Zimpapers Logo

Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter

POWERHOUSES Egypt and South Africa have touched down in Bulawayo ahead of the 2022 Squash Federation of Africa Seniors Championships that get underway on Saturday.

Squash Racquets Association of Zimbabwe chairman Lucky Mlilo confirmed Namibia were also in the city ahead of the tournament. Kenya were the first to arrive in Bulawayo on Wednesday.

Namibia squash team

 The tournament, featuring 15 African countries, will be graced by the World Squash Federation senior officials with the president Zena Wooldridge from England and chief executive officer, Frenchman William Louis-Marie expected to jet into the country for the event.

Suburbs Squash Club, Old Miltonians, Christian Brothers College and Holiday Inn are the venues for the championships. Countries that have confirmed taking part are Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zanzibar and Zimbabwe. As the hosts, Zimbabwe has the privilege of hosting two teams, an A and B for men while the same also applies for the women.

Ryan Gwidzima who is only 16, has broken into the senior national team and his younger sister Natalia will also be playing for the Zimbabwe B team in the women’s section while the father Langton is the manager for the Zimbabwe B team.

Sisters Yvonne Mubure and Polite Mubure will play in the Zimbabwe A women’s team. Roy and Talent Jambo, will be playing for the Zimbabwe men’s B team. The championships were meant to run in the city from October 14-21 but had to be deferred since they clashed with the Sanganai/Hlanganani Tourism Expo held in Bulawayo last month.

Squash Federation of Africa Seniors Championships, which used to be called the All-Africa Seniors Championships, were last held in 2013 in Namibia.

 — @innocentskizoe