Zimbabwe: Only the Sky Is the Limit for Mguni

By Ellina Mhlanga

GROWING up as a sickly child suffering from asthma and eczema, Anna Mguni did not let her conditions deter her from pursuing her dream in sport. Instead, it was the zeal and a persistent intent and purpose to be seen and treated like any other children that gave her power to spend time on the basketball court, on the hockey field and at times in the swimming pool.

The fact that she had eczema - a medical condition that causes the skin to become inflamed or irritated - would not stop her love for the pool, and asthma - a common chronic inflammatory disease of the respiratory system - was not good enough to keep her away from contact sports.

"I was a sickly child. I had asthma and I also had eczema and for me I think at the time the drive was I just wanted to fit in with other children and almost be normal because you find that if you have got asthma you can't run, you can't be active.

"So it was probably just that drive to want to be like others. I was very fortunate that my parents took me to schools where physical education was part of the programme," said Mguni.

But this was just the beginning of what was to be her career in sport, mainly in basketball, hockey and rugby, advancing mostly in sport administration where she has held different posts in the respective organisations.

In the Basketball Union of Zimbabwe, she was the secretary-general and in rugby she was the national women's team manager but she has grown to become one of the most powerful female sports administrators in Zimbabwe through her position in the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee.

Having been appointed ZOC chief executive three years ago, the dream is still on for the former hockey and basketball player to be one of the most powerful female sports administrators not only in Africa but in the world.

"The (IOC) board is where I would like to get to. I would really love to get to those kind of levels. I would like to administer at a level which is higher than just national, either continental or get onto an international board of governance and management.

"I love working in the structure of the Olympic Movement and that's where I would like to grow for a few more years.

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Zimbabwe: Only the Sky Is the Limit for Mguni