By McGeorge Mbare
The Beitbridge Central cluster has emerged as the champions of the Beitbridge district athletics competition 2026, held at Chamnanga ‘Tshidixwa’ Secondary School from Thursday, 19 February to 20 February 2026.
The Beitbridge district clusters ended their more than 15-year unwin streak, with the Central cluster taking the championship title with 28 gold, 25 silver, and 16 bronze medals.
They were followed by the Western cluster with 24 gold, 29 silver, and 19 bronze, and the Northern cluster with 24 gold, 22 silver, and 23 bronze, in third position. The Southern cluster finished 4th with 16 gold, 12 silver, and 19 bronze, while the Eastern cluster finished last with 12 gold, 11 silver, and 19 bronze.
Speaking to Ziyah News Network, Tabonga Gwauya, the St Joseph Secondary School headmaster, said he was happy for his cluster to have won the championship after a long period, following their brilliant performance.
“It’s quite interesting to note that Western was number one, Northern was number 2, and our cluster was number 3. We are excited that this year, the Central cluster, which comprises Southern College, Malala, St Mary’s, Vhembe High School, and St Joseph, has emerged as the champions. That really shows an improvement from my cluster,” Gwauya said.
Desire Kayemba, the 100m and 200m winner from St Mary’s, said he is hoping to be very competitive in the provincial side and try to follow in the footsteps of former Zezani High School athlete Derrick Matutu, who won the 200m, 100m, and 400m and represented the country on the international stage.
“I am the champion for 100m and 200m. I’m very happy as a junior 20 to have won the events and represented my school, Vhembe High School. I just want to be like Derrick Matutu, the boy from Zezani who made us proud last year, and I’m prepared to train and win these events just like him,” Kayemba said.
Auriel Mudau from St Mary’s, who scooped the gold medal in the long jump U18, said, “I won long jump, jumping 6m flat, and it was a surprise to me to defeat provisional champion Ashley Gwisai from St Joseph in my cluster.”
Meanwhile, Zezani High School from the Western side emerged victorious in the chess district competition, walking away with 5 gold medals, 4 silver, and 6 bronze. St Mary’s was second with 3 gold, 5 silver, and 2 bronze, followed by Siyoka in third with 3 gold, 1 silver, and 2 bronze. Matsheloni finished last with zero points and zero medals.
Fannie Chaka from Zezani High School’s chess department said, “We have seen competitive sides, and there is an improvement from our players, not only from Zezani but from all our schools like St Mary’s and Siyoka, who came second and third.”
Gibson Mukwada, chess enthusiast, international schools instructor, and Zimbabwe national arbiter, said he was very happy with what he had witnessed from the competition.
“I saw people from Siyoka and St Mary’s bringing in talent, which really makes us a huge competitive side in the provincial competitions, with many chess players who are so good and powerful. I’m expecting the team to have more than 5 players win in the provincials, since last year we had two,” Mukwada said.
The Beitbridge district selected team will now prepare and camp at Tongwe High School as they look to participate in the provincial competitions in Manama.