The Sunday Mail
Tinashe Kusema and Veronica Gwaze
THE year is 1992, the scene the Barcelona Olympic Games, and a gangly elderly man — wearing blue shorts and a white T-shirt brandished “Have you hugged your foot today” — rushes onto the track upon seeing that 400m favourite Dereck Redmond has pulled a muscle and will not be able to finish the race.
The man pushes aside the onsite medics, and helps the Briton finish the race, as he wobbles in pain towards the finishing line.
Four years later, inside the United Centre Arena in Chicago, Illinois, a visibly emotional Michael Jordan is seen crying uncontrollably, NBA trophy in hand, having just helped the Chicago Bulls dispatch the Seattle SuperSonics 87-75 to clinch the series 4-2 and with it a fourth title.
More recently, a mural of Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna — as they look unto the heavens while a light shines down on them — has become a tourist attraction at Penn Street Bridge, New York City, after numerous artistes came together to pay tribute to the late basketball icon and his daughter.
The pair died, together with eight other passengers, when their helicopter crashed on January 26, 2020.
On the surface, these look like three separate incidents that happened across three separate sports and decades, but a closer look will show that there is one common thread.
The undying love and devotion of a father.
The “Have you hugged your foot today?” T-shirt wearing man in Barcelona was in fact Jim Redmond, the father of middle distance runner Dereck, and the fact that Jordan clinched the ’96 NBA title on Father’s Day was just too much for the now retired basketball legend.
The 57-year-old had lost his own father, James, three years earlier after he was murdered on his way back from a funeral, and dedicated the 1996 NBA title to him.
As far as Bryant is concerned; it has since been established that for every story of the late basketball icon’s greatness or influence, there is a story of his devotion to his kids to match.
American sports journalist and actor, Stephen A. Smith, could very well have best summed up the significance of Father’s Day and the link between the day and sports.
“Father’s Day is not about what occurs on the day, but is supposed to be what fathers personify, why we celebrate them and why we carve out a day to celebrate them,” said Smith on ESPN’s programme “First Take” last week.
“In the same vein we celebrate Mother’s Day; it’s not just because they are our moms, but it’s about what they signify, and what makes them special”.
The Sunday Mail Sports sought to shine a light on some of the fathers of the country’s top stars, in commemoration of Father’s Day, which is being celebrated worldwide today.
The word “sacrifice” is a term mostly used when describing the link between some of the country’s well-to-do sportsmen and women and their fathers; and no one exemplifies that more than Brad Garanganga, father to Zimbabwe Davis Cup tennis ace Takanyi Garanganga.
To him, Father’s Day is a day like any other and believes the sacrifices he made were mostly because he was doing what he had to do as a father.
“I was not the one who actually discovered Takanyi’s penchant, or talent, for tennis, that was his brother Titarirei.
“I did not play much of sport during my days, but did partake in a little social tennis, and used to take my sons with me to the club.
“It was during one such trip that Takanyi caught the attention of his brother, and some onlookers, when he grabbed a racket and showed some potential.
“He was about six or seven years old when we bought his first racket and some coaches started approaching me to enquire more,” Brad said.
With that little anecdote, Takanyi set off on a path that would see him make waves locally, and leave his parents’ nest at a very early age.
“My son quickly outgrew the competition in his age groups and we thought it wise to put him in an environment that would challenge him and make him a better player.
“It is because of this reason that he left the country at the age of 13, and went to the United States. It was a hard decision to make, but we made it in the best interest of our son and his tennis career.
“Unfortunately it has not always been smooth sailing as tennis is a very expensive sport, and we did not really receive the support that we needed.
“If you look at all the great names like Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal, they have had assistance be it from their governments, associations or federations or corporates.
“He was not so fortunate, and we have had to make do the best we can,” he said.
Luckily things have turned out well, and Takanyi is now the country’s top ranked singles player and 523th in the world.
However, to his father, he will always be his little boy and refuses to single out just one moment that he is most proud of.
“I am always proud of my son, and have always told him that whether he wins a Davis Cup game, a prize or race at school. I celebrate with him every win and learn with him from every loss or disappointment.
“I have tried to instil hard work and integrity in him, from an early age, and I am very proud of the man he has become or is becoming,’’ said Brad.
In the case of Felix Mtawarira, the father of former Springbok and World Cup winning prop Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira, it is all about the awe of watching your son live up to his potential and achieve his dreams.
To him he is not “Beast”, but his son.
“There is nothing as special, to a father, as watching your son rise to stardom like that.
“I do find it funny how the world actually sees a beast in him; but to me, I still see that small jovial and energetic boy I raised,” he said.
The senior Mtawarira is a treasure trove of anecdotes and insights into the background and mindset of this Zimbabwean and South African rugby icon.
Of the many he shared, two stood out.
“Beast was a bit of a rascal growing up. Growing up, he always loved to fight, and was even expelled from one of the local crèches during his formative years.
“It was something that stressed his mother, but we were all happy when he showed a love for sport, rugby in particular. He had found something to keep himself busy.
“He excelled in rugby very early, in primary school to be exact, and we would go and watch him play every chance we got.
“It was just marvellous.
“However, when the time came for him to push on to the next level, I was not financially stable.
“Tendai wanted a school that would nurture his rugby talent, so it was almost like his dream was dying down.
“However, I remember one particular day he took it upon himself to go to Peterhouse in search of a scholarship, behind our backs.
“He simply hiked on the school bus and when he got there he asked to see the sports master.
“Later when we got to meet the sports master, he said, “Mr Mtawarira, I was called to the reception to say there was a young man looking for me and honestly I did not expect to see such a young boy.
“Tendai narrated his story of how good he believed he was in rugby and how we could not afford to enrol him there.
“He told the sports master, straight up, that he needed a scholarship and that he would put their school on the map through his talent,” Felix said.
Beast lived up to his word, ventured to South Africa, broke into the Springboks and rewarded them too with a World Cup title.
The tale of Zimbabwe’s stars would be incomplete without a word or two from the father of the country’s greatest sportsperson of all time.
Robert Coventry is the father to Olympian and current Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Kirsty Coventry.
Born September 24, 1955, Robert Coventry embodies all the above tenets in that while he is in awe of his daughter’s achievements in and out of the water, he has sacrificed a lot to get her to where she is today.
The 64-year-old is also a treasure trove of anecdotes, funny and naughty Kirsty Coventry stories.
“The funniest and naughtiest Kirsty stories, growing up, are pretty much one and the same thing, and one story in particular comes to mind,” said Rob.
“We used to have a small dog, a puppy called Jock, and she used to tease him constantly; with her weapon of choice being a toilet paper roll, which she ran up and down the house while the poor dog chased and tried to catch a piece of it.
“She was always jovial and energetic, willing to offer a hand to those in need and was determined in everything she set her mind to.
“Father’s Day to me is basically like everything it implies; a time to reflect on my relationship with my parents, my grandparents and what they were able to give me,” he said.
Robert himself had a wonderful relationship with his own parents.
“My relationship with my daughters (Kirsty and her sister Laura), is very open, we find that we can talk about almost anything with ease and obviously, I am always right.
“My relationship with my own father was a great one, my dad was always active. We played a lot of golf together as he was chairman of the then Northern Rhodesia swimming association and he was very easy and approachable to talk to.
“I have tried to emulate that with my girls,” he said.
Swimming appears to be part of the Coventry genes, but Robert credits his daughter’s talent and work ethic as the biggest contributor.
It also spared them from making way too many sacrifices.
“Sacrifices were few and far between, as you might know Kirsty’s swimming career started at a very early age.
“One of the things that my daughter has taught me is that if you give up your time and heart, putting in the effort that is required just about anything is possible.
“The biggest was time, as we would often attend her galas.
“There were the early morning trainings when Kirsty was starting to reach senior level, the lunch time and evening training.
“Balancing all these with her school-work was tricky, as we had to help train, take and also pick her up from school,” he said.
Everything looks like it panned out as she now stands as Africa’s greatest Olympian, one of the greatest local sportspersons, a trailblazer, record breaker and a Government Minister.
All of which should make both Robert and his wife Lyn extremely proud.
“I just wanted to thank her for all the joy and pleasure she has given us. I couldn’t be prouder, the memories will be there forever and I hope she continues to excel in everything she does.
“I know she is very tenacious, and very willing, and doesn’t give up very easily.
“I take my hat off to her,” he said.
