Zimbabwe will this month host the African Sporting Shooting Championships, the African Championship of Compak Sporting and the Bonaqua Troutbeck (ATU) Triathlon African Cup.
Addressing journalists in Harare, Minister of Sports Arts and Culture, Kirsty Coventry said the Triathlon African Cup to be held on 22 February is an internationally sanctioned event with a 13-year history of being staged in Zimbabwe.
“The Ministry is indeed delighted to be hosting these two events particularly noting the composition and spatial distribution of member countries participating in these two events. It is our considered view that the hosting of these events on Zimbabwean soil underlines the strides being taken by the country in sport development through hosting of major events.
“It is our view the Triathlon and shooting events will play a pivotal role as softening agents in International Diplomacy by embracing athletes from more than 20 countries visiting the country. The events are indeed an answer to the progressive will of Zimbabwe to the rest of the world through all elements of influence,” said Coventry
Zimbabwe is expecting to receive more than a hundred direct participants for shooting and will be accompanied by family and friends. She said the pouring visit for sport by athletes and enthusiast spells how sport has become a lucrative and continually growing marketplace worthy of immense investments for tourism.
“Furthermore, the convening of these two events also provides a platform for performance and skill enhancement for our athletes, realising that, the Ministry said promising athletes such as reigning Junior Sportsman of the year Mathew Denslow and Laurelle Brown have been added into the elite men’s and women’s event for Triathlon. This approach in my view, will enhance the quality and competitiveness of our athletes as well influence future outcomes in major events” she added
A total of ten countries have confirmed participation in the event and these are South Africa, Tunisia, Namibia, Egypt, Mauritius, Brazil, Switzerland Syria and host Zimbabwe.
