2009: another year of underachievement

Swimming sensation Kirsty Coventry stands out as an exception to the underachieving lot as she once again flew the Zimbabwean flag high in international tournaments in record-breaking fashion. The athlete, arguably the best to emerge from Zimbabwe in recent years, struck gold in the 200m backstroke setting a world record time of 2:04.81, and silver in the 400m individual medley (4:32.12).

Karateka Samson Muripo also added a silver lining to the sporting gloom when he made history by becoming the first African to win gold at the Karate World Championship after he scooped the middleweight Kiyokishini Karate in Osaka Japan. Prior to Muripos milestone achievement, only Switzerland, Japan, Brazil and Russia had won the championship since its inception in 1975.

The senior national soccer team the Warriors also restored some lost pride by winning the annual COSAFA Senior Challenge, where they became the first team to win the accolade for the fourth time. In the process, Zimbabwe made up for a disappointing failure to qualify for next months African Nations Cup finals in Angola and the 2010 FIFA World Cup that southern neighbours South Africa will host.

Number 108

But underachievement reared its ugly head again. The Warriors COSAFA victory was not enough to stop them sliding in the FIFA Coca Cola World rankings as, according to the rankings released by the football governing body last Thursday, the Warriors finish the year on number 108, a far cry from number 40 reached in 1994 during the teams peak. Earlier this month, the national Under 20 side flattered to deceive as well, bowing out of the first round of the metropolitan COSAFA Championships, which they had previously won three times. Monomotapa added to the underachievement of local teams with a disappointing run in the CAF Champions League as they were knocked out in the group stages of the lucrative competition.

The biggest surprise of the year has to be unheralded Gunners, who defied all odds to win the Zimbabwe Premiership from under the noses of giants, albeit faded, Dynamos. Coached by one of Dynamos favourite sons Moses Chunga and in their fourth year in existence, Gunners ensured qualification to the CAF Champions League. In cricket, Zimbabwes fortunes were not inspiring either. The team, which was rocked by massive resignations of senior players, was not convincing throughout the year as they slumbered to defeats to minnows Bangladesh and world beaters South Africa in test and One Day International matches. Zimbabwe were for the umpteenth time not participants in the International Cricket Councils 2020 Cup played in South Africa in September this year.

Cara Black

The same can be said about rugby, a sport that has over the years fallen back owing to lack of funds and a lack of exposure at the grassroots. The Sevens team had appeared to return Zimbabwe to greatness in this sport until it all came crashing at the World Sevens Rugby Series in South Africa in December when they were outsmarted in the first round of the tournament, finishing off with an embarrassing 50-0 rout to Kenya.

Tennis ace, Cara Black also had an unforgettable year on the tennis courts. The likeable Zimbabwean, born in a tennis-mad family, and her American partner Liezel Huber failed in their attempts to win the grand slams on offer, namely the American, United States and Australian Opens as well as Wimbledon, only settling for victories in the not-so-lucrative tournaments as the Sony Ericsson Open.

Analysts attribute Zimbabwes flagging sporting fortunes to the economic and political crises that have bedeviled Zimbabwe in the last decade. As a result of the crisis, many talented youngsters have quit the country for greener pastures in neighbouring countries. A lack of funds has also led to a dearth of sporting facilities while corruption at the administrative level of the game has also contributed to the series of setbacks.