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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter

THE Zimbabwe men’s and women’s hockey teams got off to a terrible start in their quest to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics after losing their opening two games at a qualifying tournament in Stellenbosch, South Africa.

Zimbabwe ladies lost their first match 1-3 to Ghana on Monday, with Sophie McDonald scoring the consolation goal. They again found the going tough against hosts South Africa, stumbling to a 0-2 loss on Tuesday evening.

The men’s side was hammered 0-6 by Egypt in their opening game before being further humiliated 0-9 by South Africa, leaving the Zimbabwean sides needing nothing short of a miracle in their next three games to stand a chance of securing a slot in the Olympics.

Zimbabwe men are in Pool B and take on Kenya today before facing off against Namibia on Saturday and wrapping up their tournament against Ghana on Sunday. The ladies date Kenya and round off their tourney against Namibia. 

The top two sides progress to the semi-finals and winners in both the men’s and women’s categories will booking their tickets to Japan for the 2020 Olympic Games.

Hockey was the first Zimbabwean sport code to land an Olympic medal when the Golden Girls scooped gold in the 1980 Moscow Games.