Byo holds sponsored walk to raise Youth Games fees

THE Metropolitan province of Bulawayo will this morning hold a sponsored walk meant to raise about $10 000 to go towards meeting the province’s bill for the forthcoming Zimbabwe National Youth Games affiliation fees.

The sponsored walk to be split into 5KM and 10KM races, will start at the White City Stadium B-Arena with each participant expected to fork out $1 to enter the race.

“We expect all the 29 city wards to be represented as well as district administrators from the five district of the city,” said the provincial Sports and Recreation Commission board member responsible for marketing and publicity, Dave Simba.

The Bulawayo Metropolitan Province needs about $280 000 in order to successfully send a strong contingent to the rebranded Games in which they will take slightly more than 800 athletes and officials for the sporting jamboree whose official opening has tentatively been set for August 20 at the Colliery Stadium in Hwange.

According to the budget items for Team Bulawayo, some of the things needed include 12 buses, 16 utility vehicles, 3 600 litres of fuel, 800 tracksuits, 643 T-shirts, 184 golf T-shirts, 820 caps as well as 200 athletics running vests.

The Games proper begin on August 17 and will run up to August 27 in various parts of Matabeleland North while two sport codes, hockey and cricket will be staged in Bulawayo.

“As Bulawayo, we will be unveiling our teams for the different sport codes next week ahead of departure for the host province,” said Simba.

Indications are that Bulawayo will not camp for the Games in order to cut on costs.

The province has however been busy with mobilising resources while its technical teams have also managed to make inroads in getting teams ready. — @skhumoyo2000.