Raymond Jaravaza Sports Correspondent
THE Zimbabwe ladies football team opened the Confederation of Universities and Colleges Sports Association (CUCSA) games with a 0-4 loss to South Africa in the first match of the week-long event at White City Stadium yesterday. The games are due to end on Saturday. The games are being contested in eight sporting codes at the biennial tournament meant for college and university athletes from countries across southern Africa.
Angola, Lesotho, Botswana, Malawi, South Africa and Zambia are among the countries that had arrived for the games, while the Namibian contingent was expected to arrive in Bulawayo last night.
Indications are that Mozambique and Swaziland will not be part of the games as nothing official had been communicated to host nation Zimbabwe regarding their travel arrangements.
Athletics and netball will be staged at White City Stadium, while the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair grounds will host basketball and karate. The National University of Science and Technology (Nust) will host chess, with football being played at Luveve, Barbourfields, Hartsfield and White City stadiums.
Hillside Teachers’ College and the Bulawayo Athletic Club will host table tennis and tennis respectively.
St Columbus, Girls College, Gifford and Eveline have availed their facilities for training to participating teams.
Zimbabwe Tertiary Institutions Sports Union (ZITISU) secretary-general Olivarth Guvuriro is optimistic Zimbabwe will host a successful tournament despite opening with a huge defeat to South Africa.
“The success of the games will be a culmination of efforts by a number of stakeholders that include ZITISU, volunteers, high schools that have made available their facilities as training grounds, Hillside Teachers’ College, Nust and Bulawayo Polytechnic for accommodating all athletes and providing logistical support.
“As of this afternoon (yesterday), we are still to hear from Mozambique and Swaziland,” said Guvuriro.
@RaymondJaravaza