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Leonard Ncube, [email protected]

MORE than 2 000 learners and their trainers are gathered at Mosi-oa-Tunya High School in Victoria Falls for the Matabeleland North provincial National Association of Secondary School Heads (Nash) athletics finals.

All seven districts are represented at the two-day sports extravaganza that started on Thursday and ends today.

It is a build-up to the Nash national finals to be hosted by Matabeleland North at the same venue from 19 to 22 March.

The Government is pursuing a revitalised tourism agenda under the National Tourism Growth and Recovery Strategy launched by President Mnangagwa in 2020 and the need to come up with new products and activities is top on the agenda.

Sports, religious, cultural, and gastronomy tourism are some of the new products being pursued.

Victoria Falls was selected as the perfect venue as Matabeleland North hosts the 2024 Nash athletics competition.

Sport codes include javelin, shot put,  high jump, long jump, discuss, triple jump, and track events.

The school has been busy upgrading its sports ground in preparation for the event and today’s provincial finals will be out to test the venue and show its readiness to host the national finals.

Mosi-oa-Tunya grounds have over the years been developed to become the only befitting standard ground in the province.

Over the years Matabeleland North would host its athletics activities in Bulawayo at the National University of Science and Technology and this is the first time the province is hosting the event on its land and Victoria Falls happens to be the perfect venue.

Some would have preferred Hwange Colliery Stadium but the ground has limited tracks as it has less than the standard 10.

Mid-morning a majority of field events were almost complete while some track events were still on.

Light rain showers briefly stopped the activities on Thursday but it was back to serious business Friday as athletes braved the heat to compete for honours and to represent the province.

Victoria Falls residents also came in their numbers to cheer not only the host Hwange District but all participants as they will build Team Matabeleland North.

Some residents grabbed the opportunity to sell goods as the event is a boost to tourists and local businesses.

Nash Matabeleland North head-in-charge of athletics Abraham Netha Mathonsi paid tribute to various sponsors.

These include Liquid Telecom, First Capital Bank, ZB Bank, AFC Bank, FBC Bank, Innbucks, Nedbank, CA Grant International, Kingdom Blue Funeral Assurance, Moonlight Funeral Assurance, Tottengram, Zimparks, Honey Grand, Victoria Falls City Council, and some individuals.

 

“We have magnificent activities as from yesterday the 7th. Our first day went well with all districts reporting on time and we started our games on time. There is very stiff competition which is mainly designed to give us the provincial team which is going to compete to here at Mosi-oa-Tunya High which is the venue for the national finals from the 2oth and 21st,” he said.

 

After the national finals, Zimbabwe will set team COSSASA in preparation for the regional games set for Lesotho in April or May.