CONGO-BRAZZAVILLE hosts the 11th edition of the All-Africa Games which start today in the Central African State.
The games run between September 4 and 19.
Brazzaville, the Congolese capital hosts the games for the second time after hosting the inaugural edition in 1965 where 30 nations participated.
A total 2 500 athletes were in the Central African State.
This time, Brazzaville plays host to more than 50 African countries as the first edition was held while some nations were still under colonial rule.
The games met resistance from colonial powers who felt they influenced African nationalism as they acted as a unifying force.
Since their introduction in 1965, several editions were postponed due to problems facing the continent.
In 1966, the Supreme Council for Sport in Africa (SCSA) was formed in Bamako; it manages the All-Africa Games.
The second edition was awarded to Mali in 1969, but a military coup forced the cancellation of the Games.
Lagos, Nigeria, stepped in as host for the Games in 1971.
The Games were finally held in 1973 after the end of the Biafra War, in Nigeria.
In 1977, the third edition of the Games were scheduled to take place in Algeria, but due to technical reasons, they had to be postponed for a year and were held in 1978.
Continuing the pattern, the next Games were scheduled to take place in Kenya in 1983, but were pushed to 1985 and finally took place in Nairobi in 1987.
Now, the 11th edition gets underway in Congo, and Zimbabwe has sent a contingent of 84 athletes for 10 sporting disciplines.
Zimbabwe’s best performance by position was in 1991 when Egypt hosted the Games.
Zimbabwe came fifth out of 43 countries.
Team Zimbabwe amassed 24 medals, eight gold, three silver and 13 bronze.
Hosts Egypt, Nigeria, Algeria and Kenya in that order made the top four on the medal list.
In 1995 when Zimbabwe hosted the games they had more medals than any other year they participated in the games.
A total of 35 medals were collected, six gold, six silver and 23 bronze.
The Zimbabwe Under-20 national soccer team reached the finals and lost to Egypt.
Zimbabwe will participate in athletics, cycling, gymnastics, beach volleyball, judo, football (Under-20 men) karate, sports for the disabled, swimming, taekwondo and tennis.
The national Under-20 soccer team is expected to put up a good fight at the Games and emulate the crop of 1995 powered by Chamunoda Musanhu, Gift Muzadzi, Alois Bunjira and Stewart Murisa among others.
However, the team might be affected as some players joined clubs in Europe and will not feature for the games.
Players like Tinotenda Kadewere, Walter Musona and Wisdom Mutasa moved to European clubs this winter and are unavailable.
Other medal hopefuls for Team Zimbabwe include Kirsty Coventry who has seen it all in swimming.
The swimming ace has represented Zimbabwe at the highest level, Olympics.
Team Zimbabwe’s tennis contingent of Valeria Bhunu, Pauline Chawafambira, Takanyi Garanganga and Mark Fynn are medal hopefuls both in singles and doubles.
Garanganga and Fynn are part of the Davis Cup team and are experienced in the game.