Special Olympics Zimbabwe, provides year-round sports training and the opportunity for competition in Olympic-type sports for adults and children with intellectual disabilities.
The Participants
- Other Initiatives:
The Zimbabwe programmes offer the following sports: soccer, athletics, swimming, golf, bocce (a form of bowls), floor hockey (indoor hockey, played with a puck, like ice-hockey lots of fun!).
Full team - Not in pic are Mayer Rick, Bonifas Machachi and Augustine Hwata
- BOCCE (Lawn bowls) TEAM
- Top L-R: MIKE MAZONDE - head of delegation
- BONNY WOODMAN - assist head of delegation, games coordinator and national director
- TREVOR ZARTMANN - athlete from Kwekwe - Has a supportive family.
- ORIPA MUBIKA - Coach from Bulawayo - excellent.
- SHADRECK SWARTS - Bulawayo orphan. lovely nature very happy with an easy laugh
- MARIA BEZUIDENHOUT - lived in institurtions all her life. working as an assistant teacher at school for intellectually challenged children
- ELINAH NDLOVU - Gweru - Down Syndrome. Lovely nature. Quiet but intense about her Bocce
- MIKE MAZONDE
- KNOX DARARE - 9 holes - supportive family - wonderful athlete very enthusiastic and determined to win a medal pref gold!
- VIREN MEHTA - golf skills - very supportive family very quite by nature but since having been selected and since the Training Camp, has become quite assertive! MOSES MANGABA - 9 holes - could have made it on the Track but had to choOse which sport he would compete in and although nervous about having chosen golf - he made the team! An all rounder and high ability. Works at Zambuko workshop as does Knox.
- ESTHER CHINGONO - orphan - living in sheltered home (L'Arche) enetered for skills. She has also come out of her shell. Lovely girl.
- CHARLOTN SUNGA from Bulawayo - supportive but very poor family - assertive and determined entered for 9 holes.
- CHRISTINE CHITONGO - was runner up four years ago to attend the World Games in Dublin so is delighted to have beeb selected for the Team going to China. She works at Zambuko and loves her golf. Going for skills.
- Top: BEV COCKROFT - Coach
- L-R: MIKE MAZONDE - Head of delegation
- JANAK KARA - lives with his dad and stepmother and brother. Excellent swimmer. Very communicative. He has a bad limp but never complains and is always smiling. Works at a sheltered workshop called RESCUE in Harare.
- NOMORE KWARAMBA - orphan - was found roaming around in Epworth when he was three. He had been abandoned. Social Welfare was called in and placed him in the SOS children's Village which has been his home ever since. Because of being intellectually challenged, he is a weekly boarder at Homefields centre. He is a quiet, exceptionally nice young man and we are delighted that he has made the team
- TINASHE MANDOZA - orphan - selected for swimming. A very appealing young man - always helpful with impeccable manners. Intellectually challenged but bright He has a slight speech impediment too. Works in a sheltered home, L'Arche in Harare where he maintains the garden for a small amount of money and a room with full board he also helps to look after the younger orphans at the centre. He is a real asset.
- TINA VAN DE WALT - Tina is 22 years old. She is emotional - mostly happy but can develop a tears attack very easily. She is an orphan and has cousins and an aunt and uncle. She is leaving to live in the UK after the Games.
- BONNY WOODMAN - National director and deputy head of delegation
- Top left to right:
- MIKE MAZONDE - Head of Delegation. Volunteer with S.O.Zim for 20 years - school teacher at Allan Wilson. The greatest of men! Teachers are now earning the equivilent of US$20 a month.........
- STEVE SAINET - Head Coach. Dedicated volunteer. Hard working and reliable. Works at Homefields as a house father for a pittance.
- BHEKI LUNGA - elite Track and Field Athlete from Bulawayo. Very bad speech impediment. Lovely young man. Represented Zimbabwe S.O. 8 years ago at World Games in America. Very focused.
- BLESSING MUKWANDA - So happy to be part of this Team. Very enquiring mind.
- BONNY WOODMAN - Full time Volunteer for 20 years and head of SOZIM. Going as Assist Head of Delegation and Games Coordinator.
- GODFREY KAMANGA - Athlete from Kadoma. Probably our best bet on the Track. Quiet with a very competitive nature.
- NATALLIA MACHANZI - very loving and friendly and enjoys what ever comes her way.
- CHRISTINE RIMBI - Assist Coach. Diligent, hard working.
- TESSA CHIREMBA from Bulawayo - lovely young lady with determination to do well. Has a very supportive family.
