By Chantelle Muzanenhamo
THE 2026 Zimbabwe National Youth and Paralympic Games will be hosted in Marondera, Mashonaland East Province, in August.
The games will bring together young athletes and para-athletes from across the country to compete on one of Zimbabwe’s biggest youth sporting stages.
The games are organised by the Sport and Recreation Commission in partnership with the Ministry of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, national sports associations and provincial committees.
The initiative aims to promote talent development, inclusivity and high-performance growth among young athletes and athletes with disabilities.
The Youth Games were first introduced in 2003 in Bulawayo, while the Paralympic Games were launched in 2008.
The competitions form part of a national strategy to increase participation in sport while identifying and nurturing future sporting talent.
Speaking to Ziyah Media, Loadwell Ziyadumah, Acting Marketing and Publicity Manager for the Matabeleland South Zimbabwe National Youth and Paralympic Games Provincial Management Committee, confirmed that preparations for the games are already underway.
Ziyadumah said the event provides an important platform to identify and develop athletes who can represent Zimbabwe at regional and international competitions such as the AUSC Region 5 Games, the African Games and the Olympic Games.
Sporting disciplines expected at the games include athletics, football, basketball, netball, boxing, tennis, judo and volleyball.
Paralympic competitions will feature athletics for visually impaired athletes, Special Olympics athletics, amputee athletics, wheelchair racing, goalball and wheelchair basketball.
The games are expected to showcase emerging talent while promoting inclusive sport development across Zimbabwe