Sinokubonga Nkala
Zimpapers Sports Hub
THE inaugural edition of the Llorut Under-16 and Under-21 pool tournament which was held in Cowdray Park at the weekend was a success.
The tournament, a brainchild of Thamsanqa Bhala, a technology entrepreneur and founder of Roundihmp — a business tool designed to help small businesses operate efficiently — attracted over 25 players across the two sections.
The Under-16 event was won by soon-to-be 15-year-old Junior Ndlovu while 14-year-old Dragons Pool Club player, Thembalikayise Nduku scooped the Under-21 accolade.
Nduku saw off competition from Desire Choeni, who was the runner up and Kingston Mafunda who claimed bronze.
As a semi-professional pool player, Bhala has a passion for the game and for youth development, which inspired him to create this initiative.
“So, technically, I’m a technology entrepreneur so most of my life was narrowed down to being busy with designing and programming.
“After seeing that most youth want to be competitive because of what they always see in tournaments. That’s when I decided to create this tournament. Instead of going big, because of lack of funding, I decided to start with Cowdray Park. The players came from all over Cowdray Park,” said Bhala.
He said that he was pleased with the attendance, adding that the whole idea behind the tournament was to create a spirit of competitiveness among the youth.
“The whole idea is to groom players. I was pleased by the attendance numbers, it was more than I had anticipated. We couldn’t get funding and this project was self-funded, everything involved including certificates.
“In most situations, players are grouped in one bracket and that creates an unfair competition and that is why I decided to separate the Under-16s and 21s. To nurture young players, we need to start from the grassroots. So by competing against their age mates, it fosters competition,” he said.
Bhala is also planning to host a bigger event – if he gets funding – that will cater for all players across different suburbs.
His motivation remains creating competitiveness while helping nurture the talents of budding players.
The winner of the Under-21 category, Nduku, thanked Bhala for such an initiative saying he’s on cloud nine for having bagged his first ever competition win.
“The tournament was fun, and there was a good vibe. I was scared when I started but I’m glad that at the end of the day I managed to win. We are grateful to our brother (Bhala) for giving us this platform to also showcase our talent. It was also a great learning curve as it also helped us gain some knowledge and boost in confidence.
“I am very happy and proud that I won this tournament. I know, at home they are also proud of me for winning this tournament. I am now a Cowdray Park champion,” said Nduku.
Ndlovu, who won the Under-16 event also expressed his happiness for being crowned champion.
“I am very happy. It was my first time playing a pool tournament and I am glad to have won,” he said.
Players competed in round-robin matches within their groups, ensuring everyone had multiple opportunities to play. The top players from each group advanced to a single-elimination knockout round.
The Under-21 final was a race to three frames, making for an exciting and decisive conclusion.
Nduku received a professional-grade pool cue as a prize and the title of Cowdray Park Under-21 Champion. — @brandon_malvin
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