The Sunday News
Lovemore Dube
ZIMBABWE sportswomen have done well in the past 40 years leaving a mark in world sport with the Minister of Sport, Kirsty Coventry leading their charge.
The country celebrated its 40th Independence Anniversary two weeks ago. Zimbabwe sport could not be left out of the celebrations as 18 April 1980 ushered the nation to the world of sport after years of international isolation.
Prior to that only a select few could afford to taste international sport albeit limited to Springboks and Proteas tests between the country and South Africa which paled into insignificance given absence from such global events such as the World Cup, Africa Cup of Nations, Commonwealth Games and Olympics.
The women’s hockey team introduced the country as a major sporting nation with gold at the then Soviet Olympic Games in Moscow in July of 1980. With stars like Pat Mckillop of BAC, Zimbabwe showed the world that isolation had denied deserving and talented sportspersons a chance to parade their skills to the world.
But prior to the Golden Girls milestone, football had registered big wins against countries that had gained independence earlier than Zimbabwe — Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia. A four-team tournament was organised giving a generation that had almost lost out to international sport a chance to display what the world had lost in them.
A generation that included Wonder Phiri, Sunday Chidzambwa, Ephert Lungu, Shacky Tauro, Max Tshuma, Onias Musana, David Muchineripi, Charles Sibanda, Ephraim Moloi, Oliver Kateya, Frank Mkanga and George Rollo would have lost out as they were at the peak of their careers. The four-team tournament had them play Mozambique in the semi-finals winning 6-0 and meeting Zambia in the final for a 2-1 win to raise hopes of a return to the fold of a giant that narrowly missed out on the 1970 World Cup losing out to Australia in Maputo in a replayed final qualifier.
Swimming
Minister Kirsty Coventry rates as the most successful Zimbabwean female Olympian with a number of medals at that level.
After starring in collegiate competitions in the US, following a glorious primary and secondary school swimming career, the minister won gold at the Manchester Commonwealth Games in 2002. Her four medal haul at the 2004 Athens Olympics cemented her position as the country’s most successful swimmer as she won one gold and three silver medals.
Kirsty Coventry
She won gold in the 200m backstroke, silver in the 100m backstroke, 200m individual medley and 400m individual medley. More success followed before she hung her trunks. There were other successes in swimming at events such as the All-Africa Games much lower than the Olympics and World Championships.
Diving
Tracy Cox-Symthe won silver at the 1990 Auckland Commonwealth Games in New Zealand in the sport. She appeared to have paved way for Evan Stewart who would in 1994 win silver and bronze in the 3m and 1m diving contests of the Commonwealth Games. Stewart even went one better winning gold in the Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games. Just like Minister Coventry and Cox-Symthe, Stewart was world class.
Cara Black
She ensured that women could not be taken lightly, making a big impression as a world beater in the women’s doubles and mixed doubles. Her feat encouraged generations of female tennis players in the country who included Tanya Magunje, Fadzai and Vimbai Mawisire. Cara, the Mawisire sisters and Tarryn-lee De Souza shone in the US college network.
Bowling
Connie Sibanda Zimbabwe’s premier blind bowling champion, followed the success of the 1982 Brisbane Games women’s trips team that won gold. Sibanda won gold at the 1998 Kualur Lumpur, Malaysia Commonwealth Games to add to Roy Garden’s gold in the men’s elite division. Garden will go into history as having been one of the best in the sport on either side of Independence having even finished in the World Champion of Champions Games in New Zealand in 2014. At Africa States competitions women have had a good outing just like their male counterparts hoisting the Zimbabwe flag with aplomb.
Soccer
Soccer remains Zimbabwe’s number one passion. And the most successful women’s team is the Mighty Warriors with runners-up berths in the Cosafa tournament, top four finishes in the continent and an Olympic qualification. Their male counterparts participated in the 1980 Olympics by invitation.
Boxing
Monalisa Sibanda has held a number of international boxing successes in a sport where Charles Manyuchi, Ndaba Dube, Thamsanqa Dube, Elvis Victor Moyo, Nokuthula Tshabangu, Ezwell Ndlovu, Peter Pambeni, Ambrose Mlilo, Kilimanjaro and Arifonso Zvenyika have also done well.
Netball
Forever a women’s sport without much international exposure, has had a fairytale rise with last year’s World Cup qualification and a top eight finish to make it one of a few Zimbabwe teams to qualify for a global competition on sporting merit. In the continent Zimbabwe enjoys a top four rating as well.
Athletics
Zimbabwe female athletes have also done the country good winning several medals in the continent and overseas. There have been medals at Commonwealth Games level by Samukeliso Moyo and Julia Sakala. Some of the girls have made a mark in international marathons in South Africa such as Margaret Mahohoma, Moyo, Munodaani Chadambuka, Chiedza Chokera and Rutendo Nyahora.
An improvement by development structures at school, sacrifices by families, change in attitude by society and a lot of work by provincial and national associations has seen women taking a front seat in sport.
