Sports Reporter

TEAM Zimbabwe members, for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, are set to start heading to Japan today.

They will be travelling in batches, depending on their competition schedule. The Games will run from July 23 to August 8.

Zimbabwe will field five athletes in athletics, swimming, rowing and golf.

Zimbabwe Olympic Committee chief executive, Stephen Mudawarima, said rower Peter Purcell-Gilpin, and his coach Stephenson Alexander, are leaving early. The UK-based Purcell-Gilpin and Alexander, who is in Zambia, are expected to fly from their bases to Japan, today.

He will be competing in the men’s single scull.

Swimmer Donata Katai and coach Lindsy Tudor-Cole will leave Harare on Saturday, the same day as United States-based Peter Wetzlar.

Katai is competing in 100m backstroke and Wetzlar will battle in the 100m freestyle.

Golfer Scott Vincent, and Kesley Anne Vincent, will also fly from the United States. Ngoni Makusha, who is set to compete in 100m, and coach Lisimati Phakamile, are scheduled to leave on July 22.

Rowing gets underway on July 23 while swimming competitions start on July 24.

Golf starts on July 29 and athletics on July 30. Team Zimbabwe chef de mission, Fredreck Ndlovu, team administrator, Memory Pakati, and physiotherapist Abigail Mnikwa, who is doubling as the Covid-19 liaison officer, left earlier, as they have some meetings to attend.

It has been a tough road, for the athletes, to just try and qualify for the Games.

The country last won a medal, at the Games, in 2008, when swimming icon, Kirsty Coventry, triumphed in Beijing, China