Medals galore for Zim athletes

Sport
ZIMBABWE’S track and field team put on a solid display in the athletics competition at White City Stadium, winning four gold, 11 silver and six bronze medals at the African Union Sports Council Region 5 Under-20 Youth Games in Bulawayo yesterday.

ZIMBABWE’S track and field team put on a solid display in the athletics competition at White City Stadium, winning four gold, 11 silver and six bronze medals at the African Union Sports Council Region 5 Under-20 Youth Games in Bulawayo yesterday.

Thandiwe Moyo Sports Correspondent

The host nation’s most dominant display came in the 800m women final where Zimbabwe had a clean sweep of the medals.

Youth Olympian Maryjoy Mudyiravanji claimed gold after crossing the finish line first in two minutes 12,17secs with compatriot Enlitha Ncube finishing second in two minutes 12,76secs.

Memory Ziba completed the clean sweep for the hosts, finishing third in two minutes 13,75secs to claim the bronze medal.

Zimbabwe put on another dominant display 5 000m race, grabbing the gold through Tendai Zimuto who romped home in 15min 19,61 secs ahead of Moses Tarakinyu, who won the silver medal after finishing second in 15min 21,69secs. Lesotho’s Mapasela Mahloko finished third in 15mins 22,09secs to take home the bronze medal.Logo-Youth-Games

Long jumper Nomagugu Ndlovu’s 5,30m leap earned her a bronze medal in the women’s long jump final where South Africa’s Jodee Johannes won gold after jumping 5,66m while Nienka Du Toit also from South Africa got silver with a best mark of 5,39m.

Zimbabwean hurdler Pride Lusinga bagged a silver medal in the men’s 110m hurdles after crossing the finishing line in 14,46secs behind South Africa’s Rivaldo Roberts who won gold with the fast time of 13,97secs. Mozambique’s Creeve Armando Machava claimed the bronze medal after coming home in third place in 14,53secs.

In the women’s javelin competition, Zimbabweans Wayne Nkomo (40,57m) and Olivia Shavi (19,91m) won silver and bronze respectively with South Africa’s Sane van Zyl getting gold with her 43,35m throw.

There was more success for Zimbabwe in the athletics for the visually impaired competition where Liana Sithole won the gold medal in the women’s T13 100m after finishing the race in 13,95secs. Libetra Shoko also from Zimbabwe came second in 14,26secs with Namibian Hambeleleni Makanda finishing third in 14,29secs.

Zimbabwe added another gold medal to the collection when Shepherd Gumede won the 100m T12 final, dashing home in 11,71secs with Twegathetwa Eino Mushi following closely behind in 11,84secs while Pray Nleya weighed in with a bronze in 12,30secs.

Fidelis Mhone collected silver in the 100m T11 men’s final, crossing the finish line in 12,83secs behind José Chamoleia of Angola, who won the gold in the event in 11,92secs while his compatriot Fernando Simao won bronze in 13,11secs.