×
NewsDay

AMH is an independent media house free from political ties or outside influence. We have four newspapers: The Zimbabwe Independent, a business weekly published every Friday, The Standard, a weekly published every Sunday, and Southern and NewsDay, our daily newspapers. Each has an online edition.

Motorcross rider Muzinda’s stock rises

Sport
Young female motocross rider Tanya Muzinda’s profile continues to rise after she won the Zimbabwe International Women’s Awards (Ziwa) Sportswoman of the Year award in Birmingham, England, at the weekend.

Young female motocross rider Tanya Muzinda’s profile continues to rise after she won the Zimbabwe International Women’s Awards (Ziwa) Sportswoman of the Year award in Birmingham, England, at the weekend.

BY HENRY MHARA

Tanya-Muzinda

Ziwa, founded in 2013 by Juliana Jonathan and Maud Goba, seeks to celebrate and recognise the unsung heroines in the Zimbabwean community, who have made a contribution to society through entrepreneurship, education, social welfare, charitable and humanitarian works, entertainment and the arts.

To win the crown, Muzinda beat strong competition from two top long distance runners Rutendo Nyahora and Sharon Tavengwa, current Zimbabwe Ladies Golf Open champion Yolanda Mbaiwa and fitness trainer-cum-model Teurai Chanakira.

Muzinda, an Eaglesvale Primary School pupil, was presented the award in Birmingham on Friday and flew back into the country on Saturday.

Yesterday, she was hosted by the Sports minister Makhosini Hlongwane at his offices in the capital.

Speaking at the event, Muzinda, who was with her parents Adion and Tawanda and manager Tendai Zhakata, said: “I want to thank the Ministry of Sports for helping me, without them we couldn’t have made it. We were going through a tough time and they came on board and their assistance has been helpful. I would also like to thank NetOne for helping us make the trip to England possible.”

Muzinda’s mother Adion said: “As the mother, I do support Tanya all the time. I mostly support her with her school work because the daddy is always on the track so I always make sure that she finishes all her homework before she goes to practise and that she is well dressed for practice and when she goes for races, I make sure she is well equipped because I’m mainly concerned of her safety.”

Hlongwane said: “We need to encourage participation in all sports codes. Tanya represents our aspiration as far as sports is concerned. Tanya epitomises our character as the ministry, as the government that we should have the girl child elevated to that level in sport, that she should be able to compete alongside her male colleagues with equal opportunities being provided to be able to do that. She is participating in a sport dominated by males. I want to say to girls out there that Tanya has shown you the way.”

Muzinda became the first Zimbabwean black female rider to win a motocross championship since the inception of the sport in the county in 1957. In 2013 she engaged international manager Stefy Bau from the United States, who coached her for two weeks and she went on to achieve a second overall in the very competitive division of the 65B class.