Tagara senses gold for Team Zim at African Games

Deputy Sports Editor

LOVE him or hate him, but it is almost impossible to ignore the enigmatic Tendayi Tagara.

The National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe (NAAZ) president is brimming with confidence over Team Zimbabwe’s participation at next month’s African Games in Accra, Ghana, from March 8 to 23.

Tagara is the team’s deputy chef de mission (technical).

As the Team Zimbabwe management, led by chef de mission Eltah Nengomasha, gave the media an update on the ongoing preparations for the Games, Tagara had the house in stitches when asked what the nation can expect from the athletes.

“I can see the colour (gold); however, I can’t see the number,” said Tagara.

“I want to assure you that there will be gold medals this time and there will also be silver medals.

“Our Lady Chevrons are ranked number one in Africa; in rugby, we are in the top four and have a good chance of making it to the final.

“In tennis, Lock (Benjamin) is performing quite well.

“We will have to go for gold medals in those events.

“In swimming, we are expecting gold and silver medals.

“Again, I can assure you that when we come back, we must have a gold medal.

“I can see the colour.”

Team Zimbabwe will soon be officially unveiled.

However, the athletes and their coaches have been hard at work ahead of the 13th edition of the Games.

Zimbabwe, who are set to join 51 other African countries at the quadrennial event, are expecting to better their medal haul of four, which they achieved at the previous competition in Morocco in 2019.

Team Zimbabwe will feature in 10 sports codes, which are rugby, cricket, cycling, swimming, athletics, judo, karate, triathlon, chess and tennis.

Nengomasha also assured the nation that preparations are well on course for what could be redemption for Team Zimbabwe after disappointment in Morocco.

In Morocco, Zimbabwe competed in 12 sports codes and brought home one silver medal and three bronze medals.

The team finished in 31st place on the medals table.

“We are confident, as team management, that the team complement we are going with should be able to at least give us podium performances in certain disciplines,” said Nengomasha.

“What was our strategy in coming up with Team Zimbabwe, you might ask? Well, we were very deliberate in our selection.

“We looked at team performances and decided it is important that we put the best foot forward.

“Our first primary focus was on the best-performing sports codes, whether they are individual sports or team sports.

“The Games will double as qualifiers for the Olympics, and we were very deliberate in going for as many sports codes that would maybe give Zimbabwe an Olympic qualification . . .”

Nengomasha was also satisfied with the work that the hosts had put in place to ensure a successful event in Accra.

She was part of the Zimbabwe delegation that joined other participating countries on a tour of Ghana’s facilities, which include training grounds and competition venues.

According to reports from Accra, Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo tasked the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Local Organising Committee to deliver an outstanding edition of the Games in the competition’s 57-year history.

The Borteyman Sports Complex, which he commissioned recently, is expected to host table tennis, handball, tennis, volleyball, swimming, badminton and triathlon.

A 1 000-seat swimming pool with 10 lanes for competition and eight lanes for warm-ups is one of the most prominent features of the facility.