Sports / Other
Low key return for Zimbabwe Olympics team
16 Aug 2012 at 06:19hrs | Views
MEMBERS of Team Zimbabwe returned home last night after taking part at the London Olympic Games which ended on Sunday. Unlike at the previous two editions in Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008, Zimbabwe failed to win any medals.
There was just a small band of people to welcome the team on their low-key return unlike in 2004 and 2008 when thousands of fans converged at the Harare Airport International Air­port.
Deputy Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, Lazarus Dokora, Sports Commission director-general Charles Nhemachena and Sports Commission board vice-chairperson Edward Siwela were at the airport to welcome the team yesterday.
Top swimmer Kirsty Coventry, who also returned home yesterday, did well to reach the finals of her events but she could not repeat the medal-winning feat.
Coventry was the flag bearer for Team Zimbabwe and has been elected to the Olympic Movement's Athletes' Commission.
Marathon runner Cuthbert Nyasango achieved his personal best time of 2 hours 12 minutes 08 seconds as he finished a credible seventh.
Wirimai Juwawo and Chris Felgate also returned home last night while James Fraser Mackenzie has remained behind, as he begins life at Oxford University in the UK.
The Zimbabwe Olympic Committee are set to host a dinner for the athletes in the capital on Friday night and then start to focus on preparations for the next Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
There was just a small band of people to welcome the team on their low-key return unlike in 2004 and 2008 when thousands of fans converged at the Harare Airport International Air­port.
Deputy Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, Lazarus Dokora, Sports Commission director-general Charles Nhemachena and Sports Commission board vice-chairperson Edward Siwela were at the airport to welcome the team yesterday.
Top swimmer Kirsty Coventry, who also returned home yesterday, did well to reach the finals of her events but she could not repeat the medal-winning feat.
Coventry was the flag bearer for Team Zimbabwe and has been elected to the Olympic Movement's Athletes' Commission.
Marathon runner Cuthbert Nyasango achieved his personal best time of 2 hours 12 minutes 08 seconds as he finished a credible seventh.
Wirimai Juwawo and Chris Felgate also returned home last night while James Fraser Mackenzie has remained behind, as he begins life at Oxford University in the UK.
The Zimbabwe Olympic Committee are set to host a dinner for the athletes in the capital on Friday night and then start to focus on preparations for the next Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
Source - TH
