ZIMBABWE’S next generation of Olympians has received a US$15 000 boost from CBZ Holdings as Team Zimbabwe steps up preparations for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.
The financial services group has committed the package towards the national team’s official apparel and preparations for the Games, which will bring together young athletes aged between 14 and 17.
Dakar 2026 will carry historic significance as the first Summer Youth Olympic Games to be held on African soil. The event is scheduled for October 31 to November 13, with Zimbabwe set to be represented by an 11 member delegation.
Speaking at the official Team Zimbabwe kit unveiling ceremony in Harare, CBZ Holdings Group chief executive officer Lawrence Nyazema said the investment was aimed at supporting athletes who could form the backbone of Zimbabwe’s future Olympic teams.
“Dakar is a special occasion,” Nyazema said.
“What does it mean to us? It means we are building for the future. I look forward to the same athletes who are going to Dakar converting into senior Olympians in 2028 in Los Angeles, [and] in 2032 in Brisbane.”
The partnership comes at a critical stage in the development of Zimbabwe’s young athletes, with the Youth Olympic Games providing an important pathway from junior competition to the senior international stage.
For CBZ, the support goes beyond providing competition apparel, with the financial institution positioning its investment as part of a broader commitment to youth development and the growth of Zimbabwean sport.
Zimbabwe Olympic Committee president Thabani Gonye welcomed the contribution, saying the partnership reflected growing confidence in the country’s athletes.
“Your decision to partner with us is a powerful endorsement of Zimbabwean sport,” Gonye said.
“You have shown that you believe in our athletes, in their resilience, and in their ability to carry the flag of Zimbabwe with pride on the continental and global stage.”
The Dakar Games will give Zimbabwean youngsters an opportunity to compete on one of the biggest stages in youth sport while gaining international experience that could prove valuable in their senior careers.
For the national Olympic movement, the focus is increasingly on creating a sustainable pipeline in which athletes can progress from youth competitions to senior Olympic representation.
CBZ’s contribution therefore comes at a time when Zimbabwe seeks to strengthen that pathway, with the athletes heading to Dakar viewed not only as representatives of the country in 2026 but also as potential senior Olympians for the Los Angeles 2028 and Brisbane 2032 Games.
With Dakar set to make Olympic history on African soil, Team Zimbabwe will now carry both the national colours and the expectations of a country looking to nurture its next generation of sporting stars.
