Zimbabwe’s South Africa-based wheelchair tennis champion Nyasha Mharakurwa was using the Bulawayo ITF NEC Wheelchair Tennis Tour in an effort to get an automatic qualification for 2012 London Paralympics Games.
Mharakurwa, who is ranked 84 in the world, won the Men’s Singles Open at the Bulawayo Athletic Club (BAC) after beating South African Ishmael Tshipuke 6-0, 6-0 and the victory will earn him points as he strives for the London Paralympic Games to be held in September next year.
The Bulawayo ITF NEC Wheelchair Tennis Tour director Johane Marufu yesterday said to earn an automatic entry for the London Paralympic Games, one must be among the best 50 players in the world.
“In every tournament that is sanctioned by the ITF, players get points at every level that they reach. Nyasha won the tournament and he will get some points for that and it will push him up the ranking. For him to qualify he has to be in the top 50 and before the tournament he was number 84,” Marufu said.
At London 2012, the Wheelchair Tennis competition will consist of six medal events: men’s and women’s singles; men’s and women’s doubles; and quad singles and quad doubles, with men and women competing in the same events. Quad players have an impairment that affects three or more limbs. All events are played according to a knockout format.
After featuring as an exhibition sport at the Seoul 1988 Paralympic Games, Wheelchair Tennis was introduced as a full medal event at Barcelona in 1992, and has featured at every Games since then.
At London 2012, the Wheelchair Tennis events will be played at Eton Manor, a brand new venue in the Olympic Park.
Meanwhile, Marufu said the association was left with a $4 500 debt after the Bulawayo ITF NEC Wheelchair Tennis Tour as sponsors of the competition pulled out at the last minute.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
Marufu said they owed King George V1 in accommodation and transportation of players and appealed to the corporate world to assist in clearing the debt.
“Guys who had promised to sponsor us pulled out on the last minute and we still owe various service providers. We owe KGV1 in accommodation and transport amounting to about $4 500. There was no prize-money for the competition. We have to continue sourcing for sponsorship. We appeal to the corporate world to come our assistance and we will work on partnering with them next year during the same competition during the same period and we will market them,” Marufu said.
