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Befitting send off for Striker

Sport
A LARGE crowd braved the chilly weather yesterday morning and gathered in Makokoba to pay their last respects to legendary boxing trainer Philip “Striker” Ndlovu, who was later buried at the Lady Stanley Cemetery, Bulawayo.

BY FORTUNE MBELE

A LARGE crowd braved the chilly weather yesterday morning and gathered in Makokoba to pay their last respects to legendary boxing trainer Philip “Striker” Ndlovu, who was later buried at the Lady Stanley Cemetery, Bulawayo.

Ndlovu died at the age of 66 on Thursday after a long illness.

Officials from the Sports ministry, politicians, councillors and Makokoba residents were among the people that attended the church service before family and friends proceeded to Lady Stanley Cemetery to bury him in observance of COVID-19 protocols.

Zimbabwe National Boxing and Wrestling Control Board secretary-general Lawrence Zimbudzana delivered a message from Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation minister Kirsty Coventry.

“The honourable minister (Coventry) has sent a message to say she wanted to be among us, unfortunately, she is out of the country. But she is also very much in mourning and is saddened by the death of a champion and a great contributor to the development of youth and communities in boxing. It’s incumbent upon us to carry his legacy on and make sure his legacy is carried forward,” Zimbudzana said.

Zimbudzana said the board could have done more for Ndlovu, but COVID-19 and economic hardships stood in the way.

“There is always a raging debate as to where a hero gets laid to rest. A hero is not laid to rest at Lady Stanley Cemetery nor at the national or provincial heroes acres, but a true hero is buried in our hearts. He (Ndlovu) has touched so many lives,” he said.

“We are very much obligated and saddened that we could have done more in terms of supporting him during his time of need but we also understand that we are living under difficult conditions due to COVID-19 and the economic situation. So much could have been done, but we failed to do much.”

Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) Bulawayo provincial co-ordinator Sam Dzvimbu also attended the burial and chronicled Ndlovu’s works in the province, mentioning that Bulawayo always did well in boxing at the annual national youth games because of the veteran coach.

“It is not only about dozens of lives that he has helped to save through the works of sport, but it is more than that. In terms of boxing, Striker was a lot of wisdom among the sports administrators in the city,” Dzvimbu said.

“When I became an administrator at the SRC, I worked with him. He was a good leader. Kids who emerged from this place (Tshaka Youth Centre) in 2003 when we started the Youth Games are countless. Since 2003, Bulawayo was always number one or two in boxing, which were the works of Striker.”

Some of the professional boxers that went through Ndlovu’s hands at Tshaka Youth Centre in Makokoba include Elvis Moyo, Thamsanqa Dube, Ambrose Mlilo, Sipho Moyo and Modecai Donga.

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