Zim Rio 2016 team unveiled

The Zimbabwe team to the 2016 Rio Olympic Games was on Wednesday evening unveiled during a fundraising dinner gala at a local hotel in the capital.

The Rio 2016 team is biggest in Zimbabwe's history comprising 57 members of which 31 are athletes and 26 officials.

The team unveiled on Wednesday evening comprises 31 athletes from seven different sporting disciplines and will be accompanied by 25 officials.

Speaking during the fundraising dinner, Sport and Recreation Minister Makhosini Hlongwane urged the corporates and the nation to rally behind the team.

Zimbabwe Olympics Committee (ZOC) president Admire Masenda said the team will do the nation proud as all the athletes had put in hours of work and practice and finally aspirations would be realised in Rio, Brazil.

ZOC CEO Anna Mguni thanked all the corporates and national sports associations for rallying behind the team and athletes.

There were no major surprises as the team was announced with the biggest contingent being football where the Mighty Warriors team has 18 players and 8 members of the technical team.

Only golfer and former Sportsperson of the Year winner Brendan de Jong was missing after he dropped out in order to concentrate on his world ranking and keep his US tour card following a recent slump in form.

Kirsty Coventry leads the swimming while other disciplines represented include archery, equestrian, rowing, shooting.
There is also a 4-member medical team led by Austin Jeans, a press attaché, ZBC's Merit Munzwembiri and two games admin staff.

Meanwhile, the team's kit which was manufactured by a Chinese company was also unveiled at the fundraising dinner.

Former ZOC and ANOCA secretary-general Robert Mutsauki was also honoured as an honourary ZOC member following his appointment as General Manager for the Homeless Team at the Rio 2016 games.