By Decide Nhendo
Technical Sports Association of Zimbabwe (TESAZ) recently hosted games at Masvingo Polytechnic from March 30 to April 2 2024 with its main theme being ‘Preventing Drug and Substance Abuse through Sport for Mental and Physical Wellness for the Effective Implementation of Heritage Based Education 5.0’.
The games were aimed at emancipation of students from across the country as a call to shun drug and substance abuse to embrace physical and mental prowess in order to yield results towards development.
Masvingo Polytechnic Sports Director Erikana Mangwiro who was the games’ local organizing chairperson said the games went well, students from different backgrounds managed to come together learning on harms being poised by dangerous drugs and substances and hence the need to shun them.
“The TESAZ games we hosted in Masvingo were a success, and I am happy because many students from different schools with different views and vision came together and were acquainted with information on dangers being imposed on their future by drugs and substance abuse,” said Mangwiro.
Mangwiro said they were partnering with different organizations like UNICEF, Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council and National Aids Council to educate and encourage students not to take drugs informing them their dangers to health and their future.
“The TESAZ were a great success because we partnered different organizations which include UNICEF, ZNFPC to discourage youths from taking drugs and their effects to their physical and mental health,” said Mangwiro.
At the games Harare Polytechnic came first with 28 gold, 15 silver and 15 bronze medals and Masvingo Polytechnic was on second position with
Masvingo scooped gold in soccer, cricket, volley ball as well as other different sporting disciplines.
Mangwiro said they were now setting their eyes on Zimbabwe Tertiary Institutions Union (ZITSU) games to take place in June at Harare Polytechnic and were working hard to be able to progress to southern regional games to be hosted in South Africa.
Masvingo Polytechnic student Brian Masunda popularly known as Pluto was the second best athlete after Kudzanai Chiborise of Harare Polytechnic and walked away with four medals, 200m silver, 400msilver, 4 by 4 relay gold and a silver from medley, said he was ready for ZITSU.
“The games were very tough but I managed to scoop four medals one gold and three silver and my next mission is to reign at the incoming ZITSU games to earn a spot for Confederation of Universities and Colleges Sports Association (COCSA) games to take place in South Africa,” said Masunda.
Two teams were identified from each chord to participate in ZITSU games scheduled to take place at University of Zimbabwe from June 9 to 14, and those who win will go to South Africa for (COCSA) games where all southern regional countries will be participating.
The games where hosted at Victoria High School, Mucheke Stadium, Masvingo Polytechnic, Masvingo Teachers and Junior High School. Colleges which participated include Masvingo polytechnic, Harare Polytechnic, Mutare Polytechnic Joshua Mqabuko Polytechnic and many others.
