THE curtain came down on this year’s Carling Black Label National Pool Tournament in Masvingo on Saturday night, with Stephen Paswani and Alice Chiota crowned men’s and women’s champions respectively, capping off a season that saw the competition expand to 31 regions nationwide.
Paswani, from Bulawayo, claimed a commanding 5-0 victory over Mutare’s Godknows “Sir Gode” Masona in the men’s showpiece, while Chitungwiza’s Alice Chiota successfully defended the women’s title she won in Bulawayo last year, defeating Glennorah’s Diana Kabasa 5-2.
Both champions walked away with US$2 500 and a pool table, with runners up, third and fourth placed finishers collecting US$1 500, US$1 000 and US$500 respectively, from a field of 80 finalists.
Speaking after his win, Paswani was quick to credit the tournament’s role in providing positive, structured opportunities for young people.
“Many thanks to Delta for this prestigious tournament that keeps empowering athletes. With the scourge of drug and substance abuse rearing its ugly head on the youth, tournaments like these keep us safe from idleness, for an idle mind is the devil’s workshop.”
Chiota, who dedicated her repeat triumph to the momentum built from last year’s win, said the title defence was hard earned.
“It was a tight contest as usual, the ladies are playing this game at the highest level and it wasn’t a stroll in the park. But having won the tournament last year I was motivated to make it two in two, that’s where I derived all the inspiration from.”
The tournament’s growth this year was a particular point of pride for organisers. Kundayi Mawema, Marketing Manager for the Lagers Business Unit, said the rising standard of play across the country reflected the strength of the grassroots pipeline the brand has continued to invest in.
“We are proud of the progress we continue to see in the sport. The growth in participation and the elevated level of play reflect the passion and commitment from players across the country. We commend everyone who took part and contributed to making this tournament a success,” Mawema said.
Beyond the competition itself, the tournament continues to generate meaningful economic activity in host communities, driving foot traffic and trade for local outlets across the 31 participating regions. Organisers also highlighted the continued year on year rise in women’s participation as a standout trend, with Carling Black Label reaffirming its commitment to inclusivity and equal opportunity within the pool community.
Looking ahead, Carling Black Label says it remains committed to growing the sport of pool in Zimbabwe through grassroots activations, support for bar level tournaments, and continued partnerships with local traders, building a platform for players nationwide to showcase their skills on Lager stages.
Delta Corporation is a leading beverages business in Zimbabwe. Through its principal subsidiary, Delta Beverages, the Group brews lager and traditional beer and manufactures sparkling soft drinks under licence from The Coca-Cola Company, alongside Maheu.
