The Sunday Mail
The eighth edition of the Zimbabwe National Paralympic Games is expected to have three additional sporting disciplines following a proposal submitted to the Ministry of Sport, Arts and Culture by the local organising committee last week.
The games will run under the theme “Empowering people living with disability through sport”.
Harare province will this year host the games which have been slated for April 7 to 11.
However, the launch of the sports festival has been set for February 27.
Assistant general manager of the technical committee Shinga Magede said they had put forward a proposal to have wheelchair racing, sitting volleyball and power lifting included in the annual games.
“We want wheelchair racing to be included at the games so that we can tap from the talent that is within the various provinces. We know provinces have always had competitions in this discipline but we now want this to be taken up at national level.
“We feel it can bring the much-needed highlight in athletics so we proposed a 10km race. In addition, we would want to have sitting volleyball where athletes use their hands for movement in indoor facilities. This means that the floors have to be smooth.
“There will be a different set of rules compared to the usual volleyball and the relevant guiding rules will be provided by the technical committee,” Magede said.
Power lifting, Magede said, will come as a new discipline in some provinces with the main target being those with impaired hearing and amputees.
A number of provinces showcased power lifting abilities at the National Paralympics Day held in Chitungwiza late last month.
While athletics and goalball have been reserved for the visually impaired, those in the amputees’ category will also compete in wheelchair tennis and basketball.
Apart from athletics, the intellectually challenged athletes and those with hearing impairments will compete in five-a-side football and netball respectively.
The ZNPG were introduced in 2008, to provide a platform for the development of local sport as well as selection of talented athletes with varying disabilities to participate in regional and international competitions.
Bulawayo province hosted the first edition in 2008, while last year, Mashonaland East were the torch-bearers.
Sports for the disabled require facilities which are user-friendly.
Chief executive of the local organising committee Nathaniel Madzivanyika said they are working on a zero budget as sponsors are yet to come forward with the much-needed support.
“We also get a grant from the Government but normally it comes through when preparations are at an advanced stage. As a result we would like to urge sponsors to come through as soon as possible so that preparations can go on without delay,” Madzivanyika said.
The ten provinces are expected to pay an affiliation fee of $50 with 50 percent of the amount expected to be paid by February 7. Each province is expected to bring a team of 168 athletes and officials.
Zimbabwe has over the years produced a number of paralympians who have represented the country well at international level. Some of the athletes include sprinter Elliot Mujaji, who won two gold medals at the Sydney Olympics in 2000 and the Athens Games in 2004.
Wheelchair tennis player Nyasha Mharakurwa has competed on international stages which include the London 2012 games while Connie Sibanda grabbed a silver medal in blind bowls at the 2002 Commonwealth Games held in Manchester.
