By John Ndlovu
There are roughly two-hundred sports codes that are internationally recognised through international governing bodies of some sort, and an estimated 8000 sporting activities played worldwide.
Off course, the number one sport of all sporting codes, is played between two teams of eleven players who primarily use their feet to propel a ball around a rectangular field called a pitch.
The objective of the game is to score more goals than the opposition by moving the ball beyond the goal line into a rectangular framed goal that is defended by the opposite side.
Of course you know I am talking about association football, commonly known as football or soccer.
Football is common and very popular in Zimbabwe a situation that has relegated other sports codes to the periphery. Almost every athlete in the country wants to play football.
However there is still room for other sports codes with the likes of cricket, basketball, rugby, swimming and other so-called minority sports which are to cement structures across the country.
Enter Bocci.
Bocci also know as the Italian Bowls is relatively unknown from Zambezi to Limpopo. Initially played just by the Italian migrants, the game has become more popular in the descendants and more broadly.
The sport is actually alive in Zimbabwe and some of its athletes are actually doing well on the international scene.
Of interest is Nkosilathi Gwayi, an inmate of Sir. Humphrey Gibbs Training Center, who is an avid player of the relatively unpopular sport, Bocci.
The Training Center located in Bulawayo’s eastern suburb of Khumalo is a home for students with moderate and severe intellectual disability.
Nkosilathi Gwayi, was part of Team Zimbabwe at the 2019 Special Olympics that were held in Dubai.
“Ngahamba eDubai ukuyadlala kumaSpecial Olympics ngawina iBronze kuBocci ngasengisiyahlangana loPresident Mnangagwa okwangijabulisayo.”
( I went to Dubai to play Bocci and won a bronze medal. I am very excited because I also got a chance to meet the President Emerson Mnangagwa .) Said the 25 year old who brought a home bronze medal alongside his partner Tinotenda Chisveto in the Bocci unified doubles section.
All in all, the Zimbabwe Special Olympics Team that participated in the 2018 Dubai Special Olympics amassed a total of 15 medals at the games, 9 gold, 3 silver and 3 bronze.
This earned the team a meeting with President Emerson Mnangagwa who rewarded Gold Medalists with US$5000, Silver Medalists US$3750 and Bronze Medalists with US$1000, which means Gwayi received US$1000 for the Bronze Medal he scooped alongside his compatriot Tino Chisveto.
“We are proud of Gwayi who went to Dubai for the world games in 2019. He also got a chance to meet the President his Excellency Emerson Mnangagwa.” Said Spiwe Mwenda the Superintendent of Sir Humphrey Gibbs Training Centre where Nkosilathi Gwayi is an inmate.
In this sport of Bocci Zimbabwe also got gold in the Bocci unified doubles with Dadirai Jack and Hallel Guri, doing the nation proud.
As the sport of Bocci grows we hope the custodians of the game in the country can do more to conscientise Zimbabweans about the existence of this sport.