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Victoria Falls’ seven year-old chess champion conquers Zimbabwe

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BY NOTHANDO DUBE

Seven year-old Andile Cornelius Mpofu from Victoria Falls chess player is on top of the world after he came second at the just ended Olympiad Chess Tournament held in Harare.

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The tournament held on July 30 saw Mpofu being crowned the second best player in Zimbabwe in the under eight category, which saw 354 players participating.

Mpofu is a Grade 2 pupil at Jacaranda Montessori Primary in Victoria Falls and is part of the Ally Chess Academy, a brain child of 18 year-old coach Alpha Mathe (18).

He began his chess journey at the age of four when his coach, Mathe, started him with theory for two years before he had a feel of the board.

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The Olympiad Chest Tournament was his third tournament.

Mpofu first competed in a national tournament in November 2021 when he was part of the players at the Zimbabwe Chess Confederation championships in Matabeleland North Province where he was the youngest player and he came top.

Andile Cornelius Mpofu (in green) in action

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His second tournament was the most recent Umdala Wethu Inaugural 6th edition tournament ,which was held at Hwange’s Thomas Coulter Primary on  July 25 where he also came first and walked away with prize money of US$ 30 in the under nine category.

The victory motivated his coach to register him for the Harare Olympiad Chest Tournament T to give him exposure, which meant five days of preparation after the Hwange event.

The Harare Olympiad Chess Academy tournament was held at Gateway High School

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“After registering at Ally Chess Academy we were told to wait for round one which started at 10AM,” Mathe narrated their journey to victory.

“I was nervous because every school that was in attendance was from Harare and just the two of us were from Matabeleland North and what made it more complicated was that those schools brought eight to 10 children per age group.

“Round one pairing was brought forth and Andile sat on the white side against Chikondo Kieth from Hartmann Primary School.

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“He started his first move with the simple e4 opening and l could see fear in his eyes because these were new faces to him and eventually he lost his knight in the middle of the game as he was losing focus.

“However, owing to a lot of theory that l had taught him coupled with tactical patterns  he brought in a discovered attack eyeing down the opponent’s Queen and after capturing the queen  he gained momentum and got his first win.”

“The second round was announced shortly after and Andile was put against Mapetura Omar of Runyararo Primary School in Harare and the game became more intense where he lost his queen for two castles, but it brought in another win.”

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Round three was against a player from Jaireh Junior School where the game ended in a stalemate as both players agreed on a draw because of of time limitations.

They only played four rounds.

Mpofu’s last round was against a rival from Haig Park Primary School and the opening was the London System, Mathe’s favourite and he quickly won that game making it 3½ points.

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Following the win, Mpofu was crowded by the Olympiad team which announced him as second best chess player in Zimbabwe in under eight.

His coach Mathe is a teenage chess coach from Mkhosana.

He started teaching children chess when he was 15.

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He is currently coaching 12 children.

Of the 12, eight are girls.

Mathe said in order to nature the talent, his academy needs financial support.

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 “As a chess family, we haven’t got sponsors yet but we are in need of them to support us in this journey, “he told VicFallsLive.

“As for Andile after the third tournament, he motivates me to say that in the near future I see him as the face of Victoria Falls, Matabeleland North and representing Zimbabwe in international tournaments and this has motivated others too in our academy.

“My vision is to open a school of chess, which will teach and promote the sport and provide employment to youths.”

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 About Chess

Chess is a game that promotes logical and creative thinking.

It involves forming patterns and predicting and foreseeing similar patterns.

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It is a good educational tool for schools as it helps develop creativity and it is a confidence builder.

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Jamaica reigns supreme as South Africa and Botswana athletes fall short in dramatic 100m showdown

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BY TIMES LIVE

Jamaica returned to the top of the 100m podium at the world championships in Tokyo on Sunday, but South Africa — even with two dogs in the fight — missed out yet again.

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Gift Leotlela finished fifth in 9.95 sec and veteran Akani Simbine ended seventh in 10.04 while Oblique Seville clocked a 9.77 personal best to become the first Jamaican to win the global 100m crown in 10 years after Usain Bolt at Beijing 2015.

His countryman, Olympic silver medallist Kishane Thompson, was second in 9.82 and brash American Noah Lyles, the Olympic and defending champion, third in 9.89.

The final featured two Jamaicans, two Americans and two South Africans, but it was the two traditional powerhouses that dominated the podium.

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Looked at another way, the final had four men from the Americas against four Africans, and with Kenny Bednarek ending fourth, it was the men from the Americas who took the first four spots.

Letsile Tebogo of Botswana, the Olympic 200m champion and the 100m silver medallist from Budapest 2023, was disqualified for a false start. Nigerian Kayinsola Ajayi was sixth in 10.00.

Yet, had Leotlela repeated the 9.87 he ran in the heats on Saturday he would have taken third. Still, the 27-year-old, who has struggled with injuries for much of the past four years, can be happy with three consecutive sub-10 runs at the showpiece.

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But Simbine, who took the 60m bronze at the world indoor championships in March, looked as if he had mistimed his season.

He went on the indoor circuit early in the year in a bid to improve his start, which meant sacrificing an important training block that he subsequently switched to June and July.

The 31-year-old was on fire before the break, but since returning he never looked sharp.

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He’s competed in seven major 100m finals — three Olympics and four world championships — and never reached a podium. Having previously finished fourth or fifth, this was also his worst finish in a final.

In the semifinals earlier, just like it happened at the Olympics on the same track four years ago, Simbine had to wait to find out if he had won a spot in the final after finishing third in the first heat in 9.96.

Only the first two of the three heats advanced automatically, with the two fastest losers going through.

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Leotlela ended third in the final semifinal in 9.97.

But still, two South Africans in the final should augur well for the 4x100m relay next weekend.

The only other South African in a medal race on the day, Adriaan Wildschutt, didn’t have the kick at the tail end of a slow 10,000m, crossing the line in 28 min 59.47 sec to finish 10th to match his position at last year’s Paris Olympics.

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Frenchman Jimmy Gressier won a sprint finish in 28:55.77, ahead of Ethiopian Yomif Kejelcha (28:55.83) and Andreas Almgren of Sweden (29:56.02).

Earlier, Zakithi Nene, the fastest man over 400m in the world this year with his 43.76 from May, won his heat in 44.34 to advance to Tuesday’s semifinal.

But American Jacory Patterson, No 2 on the list, threw down the gauntlet by jogging over the final metres of his heat to clock the fastest time of the heats, 43.90.

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Khaleb McRae, the second of three American qualifiers, was second quickest in the heats in 44.25.

Then came Nene, and behind him lurk other dangermen, like Botswana’s Bayapo Ndori (44.36) and Rusheen McDonald of Jamaica (44.38), who limped off the track.

Countryman Lythe Pillay delivered a solid performance to advance to the semifinals with a 44.73 season’s best, finishing second in his heat behind Jereem Richards of Trinidad and Tobago, fourth at last year’s Olympics.

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But with the US getting four men into the next round and Botswana and Britain three, the South African 4x400m team will have their work cut out next weekend to make the relay podium.

Miranda Coetzee and Shirley Nekhubui failed to advance beyond the women’s 400m heats and Brian Raats was unable to clear the bar in the qualifying round of the men’s high jump.

SOURCE| TIMES LIVE

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Binga Kasambabezi marathon set to promote local tourism and community engagement

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BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

The inaugural Binga Kasambabezi Marathon is poised to become a flagship event in Binga, promoting local tourism and community engagement.

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Recent Ncube, Local Organizing Chair for the marathon, shared the inspiration behind the event and its potential impact on the local community.

“As a preparatory marathon for the Vic Falls event, 10 wellness athletes who used to jog in the morning decided to craft the Binga Kasambabezi Marathon,” Ncube explained.

Event Details
– Route and Distance: “The marathon starts at the Binga Freedom Square and the same venue acts as the finishing line,” Ncube stated.
– Participant Numbers*: The organizers expect around 1500 participants.
– Support Systems: “We have five hydration stations manned by AFC, Netone, Kmtc and others,” Ncube revealed.

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Cultural Significance and Community Engagement
The marathon will be accompanied by a cultural festival, featuring traditional events. “On the 26th of September we have a full dish of cultural events such as Chilimba, Ngoma also displays by herbalist, curvers, weavers and traditional games by schools,” Ncube added.

Future Plans
This year’s event marks the 8th edition of the marathon, and the organizers plan to continue hosting it annually. “We will continue to assert Binga district as the place to be yearly,” Ncube emphasized.

The Calenders

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Parliamentary caucus calls for Unemployment Benefit Scheme for young athletes

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BY WANDILE TSHUMA

In a session of the Zimbabwean Parliament on Tuesday, Stanley Sakupwanya, Chairman of the Parliamentary Caucus on Youth Affairs, urged the government to implement an Unemployment Benefit Scheme specifically for former athletes who represented Zimbabwe on the global stage.

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His address highlighted the challenges faced by young sportspeople who forgo education and career opportunities to pursue their athletic dreams, only to find themselves without support once their sporting careers conclude.

Sakupwanya began his remarks by celebrating the recent certification of the National Sports Stadium by the Confederation of African Football, underscoring the government’s commitment to enhancing the sports sector. However, he expressed concern about the broader needs of young people participating in various sports, noting the lack of adequate support and resources.

“While we commend the initiatives focused on football, it’s critical to remember that our youth engage in many disciplines,” Sakupwanya said.

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He pointed out that athletes often sacrifice their education and well-being at an early age, with a 29-year-old athlete facing retirement instead of the traditional educational opportunities available to their peers.

He painted a vivid picture of the struggles faced by these young athletes, stating, “When they shine on international platforms, they return home only to encounter a void. Their accolades fail to translate into sustainable opportunities or support.”

Sakupwanya emphasized that without a structured program like the Unemployment Benefit Scheme, these individuals risk falling into poverty or becoming susceptible to drug abuse due to inactivity and economic hardship.

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His proposal called for the Ministry of Finance to prioritize an Unemployment Benefit Scheme in the upcoming 2026 Budget Strategy Paper, which would serve as a critical safety net for athletes transitioning to civilian life, enabling them to rebuild and reintegrate into society successfully.

In a supportive response, David Mnangagwa, the deputy Minister of Finance and Investment Promotion, acknowledged the validity of the call for such a scheme. He expressed his commitment to advancing discussions on employment benefits tailored towards youth development and sports, indicating the government’s readiness to explore solutions that uplift young athletes.

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