Zvirahwa’s quest for gold

26 Jul, 2020 - 00:07 0 Views
Zvirahwa’s quest for gold

The Sunday Mail

Veronica Gwaze

FOR Tazviona Zvirawa, the chase for continental gold in volleyball may remain an elusive dream.

Zvirawa has been participating at the prestigious African Zone VI Club Championships for seven successive seasons, albeit with different clubs.

But on all those occasions, the best he has had to settle for is a silver medal on three occasions, while the other three attempts could only yield quarter-final placings.

But with age not so much on his side, the 34-year-old Zvirawa, who now plays for Harare City and is known for his comical personality, had been hoping that 2020 could be the year in which he “took the monkey off my back’’.

“I have been there, done that and for now nothing else matters for me except for the gold prize,” he said.

In 2013, he made it to the quarter-finals in Zambia, playing for Stanbic Thunder before featuring in the 2014 final with police side Support Unit in Mozambique.

He then made it to the quarter-final in Swaziland and final in Namibia in 2015 and 2016 respectively, under Naba.

He was to reach the final again in the following two years at home and in South Africa with University of Zimbabwe Wolves.

Last year, he reached the final again when Harare City settled for silver in Lilongwe, Malawi.

Zvirawa, who is also a mechanical engineer at a local company, had become a journeyman of some sort in the quest of the gold prize.

His dream of gold in 2020 was alive until Covid-19 struck and left this year’s volleyball season up in the air.

“When I joined Harare City, I told myself that it was to be my last home, I am done with being a journeyman.

“I have won several Zone VI silver medals with different clubs and all I want is to grab gold with the Citizens; they have become family.

“After another silver with them last year, I decided that I am done moving. If I am going for gold, it has to be with them.”

Despite the fat offers that came from other clubs, the Citizens’ setter stuck to his decision.

Zvirawa was to be part of the squad that was supposed to feature at the African Club Championships slated for Egypt in April.

By this time, the volleyball season was supposed to be underway, and clubs would usually simultaneously use the games as part of preparations for this year’s Zone VI.

The Zone VI games are scheduled for Mozambique in December.

However, the setter, who has not missed a local season for close to a decade, feels that even if Covid-19 is contained, it will be too late to resume preparations for the zonal contest.

“We may be training as individuals at home but it can never be the same with doing it as a team.

“In volleyball, combinations are very key, so it makes the entire preparation thing a very critical aspect – it rules out much individualism.

 “We would have been past half the season currently; the Egypt tournament would also have helped us in a long way.

“It is the continent’s biggest competition, so we had so many lessons to pick from there for this year’s edition of the Zone VI, but Covid-19 disturbed everything.”

A last born in a family of six, Zvirahwa has also shared his anguish over the elusive gold with his mother, Janet.

“Taz is that personality who brings a smile on everyone’s face at home despite being the last born.

“Even during family gatherings, you can tell whether he is around or not; that has been his character since he was a kid.

“Volleyball is his life and it makes me happy to see him play his heart out.

“When he came back from Malawi last year, he said to me, ‘mom, I am tired of these silver medals, next year I am taking no chances, I am going for the big one’,” said the mother.

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