Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. GURUVE-MBIRE Senator Eleven Kambizi is delighted by his chance to represent and raise the flag of Zimbabwe at the high-status FootGolf World Cup in Mexico next year.
Kambizi was the runner-up after German Rene Schmitt in the Africa FootGolf Open Championships that ended on Tuesday at the Elephant Hills Hotel in Victoria Falls.
In an interview with NewsDay Sport at the Monomotapa Hotel in Harare on Thursday, Kambizi said he was extremely elated after he qualified for the FIFG World Cup finals scheduled for May next year.
“Well, to be honest, I feel great. I’m flying high. Zimbabwe is just a ‘greenstick’ [fractured and still rising] in terms of footgolf,” he said.
“And what makes it very special is that we are the first African country to host the Africa Open Championships.
“And as greenstick as we are, we have two people who qualified to go to Mexico next year.”
Kambizi believes that footgolf gained popularity and became attractive after their majestic performance at the outgoing Africa Open Championships.
“We can actually tell it has gained traction. People are now interested in footgolf.
“Looking at when it started and where we are, to be very honest, footgolf is the sport of the moment.
“Zimbabwe started playing footgolf, I think, two or three years back.
“But it has grown to an extent that football is in problems. Why?
“The president of FootGolf Zimbabwe [Daniel Kuwengwa], a former member of the Sports and Recreation Commission, knows it all.”
He credited Daniel Kuwengwa for occupying a strategic position to develop footgolf from the grassroots.
“He came up with a small committee that broke down into provinces, into districts, into wards. And I can tell you right now that footgolf is registered under the Sports and Recreation Commission and is the custodian of all sports in this country, which is an implementing arm of the Ministry of Sports,” he stated.
The 55-year-old said he was playing footgolf to motivate the young talents.
“At my age, it must be an inspiration to the youngsters. Yes. I am only doing this because I have a passion for sports. But for anybody else to celebrate and say, ‘I am Dhara Kambizi ari (who is) over 55 years’,” he said.
Despite qualifying for the World Cup, Senator Kambizi is now looking for a helping hand, citing that self-funding will be a bit of a challenge for traveling expenses and accommodation.
“Before you came, I was busy with my phone googling the fares to Mexico. Today, a ticket requires something like US$2 500.
“So that tells you I cannot even afford it. What about the small boy from Mash-East? The stay there is from May 27 to June 7 — approximately 12 days, and the hotels there are expensive.
“They are not like ours. So it tells you that it is almost impossible for anybody to sponsor themselves. Hence my appeal to Zimbabwe and the corporate world is that footgolf needs sponsorship.”
For More News And Analysis About Zimbabwe Follow Africa-Press
