Zimpapers Logo

Misheck Sibanda

Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
THE Chief Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet, Misheck Sibanda, yesterday praised the Ministry of Sport, Arts and Culture for the “wonderful” job being done in preparing for the December African Union Sports Council Region Five Under-20 Games. Andrew Langa heads the ministry. Sibanda was speaking after touring all the venues for the games that will be held in Bulawayo from December 5 to 15.

He said preparatory work was now 75 percent complete and expressed optimism that by the time the venues will be handed over to the regional organising committee on September 30, preparations will be at 90 percent.

“The Ministry of Sports has done a wonderful job and worked tirelessly to meet the deadline and come deadline day, we should be 90 percent ready except for a few pockets at the swimming pool and at the White City Stadium which might see us adding a week to the works,” said Sibanda.

He said Zimbabwe has already set the bar very high and the Games were not only going to be memorable for Bulawayo but the country as a whole.
Turning to Team Zimbabwe’s chances at the Games, he said he was optimistic that the boys and girls will come out with a number of medals.

The team, comprising 206 athletes will have a weekend camp sometime mid next month before going into full time camp in Bulawayo from November 25 right up to the start of the Games.

Team Zimbabwe has 40 swimmers (boys and girls), 24 basketball players (boys and girls), 36 football players (boys and girls), 50 track and field athletes (boys and girls), 10 boxers and an equal number of judo athletes, 12 netball and four tennis players as well as 30 athletes who will compete in athletics for the visually impaired (boys and girls).