The ManicaPost
Fungayi Munyoro Sports Correspondent
THE Zimbabwe Republic Police Manicaland Province will today (Friday) hold the Propol’s Sports Gala in Mutare at Mutare Boys’ High School.
The two-day gala will be used to select athletes to take part in the Commissioner General’s Sports Gala penciled for April 7-13 at Morris Depot in Harare.
The search for Manicaland provincial team will see athletes competing in track and field events, ball games such as netball, soccer for both men and women, volleyball (both), pool, darts, chess, table and lawn tennis and bodybuilding.
Manicaland Sports director, Samson Napulu, said preparations were at an advanced stage.
“Today (Friday), we are having our sports gala as Manicaland. The main reason is to select a team that will represent the province in April at the Commissioner General’s Sports Gala. All the districts confirmed their participation.
We will be having teams from Rusape, Chipinge, Nyanga, Mutare Central, Mutare Rural, PHQ and CID. These districts will be participating in various sporting disciplines. Our day will start off with an official opening on Friday and official closing on Saturday (tomorrow).
“Our guest of honour will be the Officer Commanding Manicaland Province, Isaac Tavengwa. After this event, the selected personnel will go into camp early March till April. As a province, we hope to do better than what we did last year.
We want to bring home medals in almost every discipline. We are confident that our team will go out there and conquer. We are banking on our darts team, volleyball, swimming and netball teams,” he said.
Last year, Manicaland was on position 13 out of the 17 police provinces which took part.
The team managed to bag gold medals in swimming and bodybuilding, three bronze medals in female relay, breast stroke and best coach.
The ladies’ pool team won bronze in the ladies’ singles, while the ladies’ darts team won two bronze medals in the ladies’ singles and double closed.
In the men’s category, Chipinge-based, Salesio Gunda, who is also in the provincial team won a silver medal in the open singles after losing to veteran player, Caleb ‘Siga’ Sigauke. Gunda also won a bronze medal in the closed singles.
Caleb Sigauke managed to win gold in the open singles before winning gold in the open doubles with Salesio Gunda.
In bodybuilding, Tafadzwa Mikiya bagged a gold medal in the heavyweight category.
“There is a lot of improvement ever since we started participating. We hope to continue with the fighting spirit.
We urge all the people to come in their numbers and support us. It is open to members of the public.
“At the moment, we do not have a rugby team, cricket team as well as golf, but we will train up people to fill in those teams.
We have spoken to Zimbabwe Cricket Union and they have promised us that they will help us build team that will compete in Harare. We are working hard to improve on our medals haul,” he added.
The 2017 edition of the Zimbabwe Republic Police Commissioner General’s Sports Gala was launched at Morris Depot recently.
The usual powerhouses at the Gala, Support Unit, Morris Depot, Harare
