Own Correspondent|The Zimbabwe Darts fraternity will this weekend convene in Gwanda, Matabeleland South province for a three day Darts Tournament in memory of the late national darts team player, Sawujadi Phiri.
Phiri, who hailed from Gwanda and was the Vice Chairperson of Matabeleland South Darts Association, died on the 6th of July this year at Mpilo Hospital in Bulawayo after a very short illness.
Mat South Darts Secretary Bongani Dube said that a total of twenty teams from across the country have confirmed their participation in the tournament which will see the winners walk away with a live cow plus cash.
“I can confirm that twenty of some of the country’s best teams have confirmed that they will be coming to Gwanda to spend their weekend playing darts for a noble cause,” he said.
“Sawujadi Phiri is a household name in Zim Darts and so every darts player in the country is motivated to play in her memorial,” he said.
Dube further indicated that the Association intends to make the memorial tournament an annual event.
Abel Chapani the Treasurer of the Association said that a bulk of proceeds from the tournament will be donated to the Phiri family.
“The tournament is not about us but about Sawujadi Phiri and so after paying out the prizes all the proceeds from the tournament will be donated to the Phiri family,” he said.
Sawujadi Phiri was born on the 30th of June 1976 at Esigodini Hospital.
She did her primary education at Mvuthu Primary School from 1983 to 1989 before proceeding to Mvuthu High School also in Esigodini from 1990 to 1993.
She started playing the game of darts in Gwanda in 2012. She became a member of the Mat South Ladies Darts team two years later.
She made her maiden appearance for the Zimbabwe Senior Ladies team in 2018 at the ZONE 6 games in Malawi where she scooped medals in all the events she participated in including a gold on ladies doubles.
Participating teams
Blanket Mine B (Gwanda), Flight Masters (Zvishavane), ZRP Support Unit Buchwa, Delta Bulawayo, Shake It (Bulawayo), Wise Waters (Bulawayo), Maphisa (Matobo), ZNA Mbalabala (Mbalabala), Vumbachikwe Mine (Gwanda), Prisons (Gwanda), Blanket Mine A (Gwanda), Sharks Gwanda Juniors (Gwanda), Archers (Bulawayo), Mushengenene Darts Clubs (Zvishavane), Bulawayo Veteran Stars (Bulawayo), Club Harvest (Gwanda), ZRP Gweru (Gweru), Mboma Darts Club (Gweru), Gwanda and District Club (Gwanda).