Byo plays host to Olympic qualifiers

From September 2-10 Bulawayo will host the African Olympic Qualifiers for hockey, with a total of 10 countries and 17 teams participating – some countries will only be sending their men’s teams. The tournament will be played at the Khumalo Hockey Stadium which is currently being refurbished in preparation for the games.

by Anon
The Khumalo Hockey Stadium in Bulwayo.
The Khumalo Hockey Stadium in Bulwayo.

When it was built, the Kumalo Hockey Stadium was rated amongst the best hockey stadiums in the world, and is certainly one of the top in Africa. The sport has not been played at a competitive level at the KHS since 2004, due to the non-replacement of the artificial turf, and as a result the stadium fell into a state of disrepair. However, due to the resurgence of the Zimbabwean economy a new lease of life has sprung up amongst Zimbabwe’s sporting fraternity. With the tireless work of several individuals, backed by the Minister of Education, Sports, Arts and Culture, work has begun on returning the stadium to its former glory. The Ministry for Public Works, who own the stadium, has partnered with the various contractors to get the work done in time to host the games.

The company that laid the original turf was re-engaged to lay the new turf, and from early June work on preparing the surface for the new turf has gone ahead. It is hoped that the new pitches will be ready to be played on by mid-August.

The Local Organising Committee is working around the clock to ensure that the games are a success, and it is hoped that the redevelopment of the hockey stadium and the hosting of this tournament will aid in the revival of hockey in Zimbabwe, and will help to showcase Zimbabwe as a future sporting destination for schools, clubs and countries from around the world.

The following countries have confirmed their participation:

Egypt (men only)

Morocco (men only)

South Africa (men and women)

Ghana (men and women)

Kenya (men and women)

Namibia (men and women)

Nigeria (men and women)

Zimbabwe (men and women)

Seychelles (men only)

Uganda (men and women)

Although the Zimbabwean teams will be relatively inexperienced at playing on turf, we expect them to be competitive due to the foundation that the individuals have had going through the Zimbabwean schools hockey system. There are also squad members who have been playing outside of Zimbabwe who will provide valuable experience for the rest of the team. The quality of the teams participating will provide an exciting spectacle for the players and spectators alike and we look forward to a successful tournament.