Moscow Olympics

As last-minute invitees to the XXII Olympiad, most of Zimbabwe’s athletes had little or no time to prepare for the upcoming quadrennial showpiece. David Parrington, an old school friend and participant in those Games, was a valuable resource while I was researching the event for my first book, ‘A Legion of Warriors.’

Against all odds, Zimbabwe’s women’s field hockey side eventually took gold at the 1980 Olympics. Talk about overcoming obstacles: besides having never played together as a unit, the hastily assembled team also faced the prospect of having to play on synthetic surfaces for the first time in their sporting careers.

Here’s an excerpt from the first book in the ‘Dax Hunter Files’ —A Legion of Warriors.

The big day had arrived. Although exhausted from a sleepless night, the Zimbabwean’s resolve was undiminished. As they took to the field, they knew that the outcome against Austria would determine who took gold.

The earlier game had been a tight affair. But, as predicted, Czechoslovakia managed to eke out a 1-0 win against Poland.

Now, of course, the Czechs’ gold medal hopes rested on the outcome of the next game. They began to pray for an Austrian win. One more game … just one more game. Please Austria … you can do it!

But the hockey gods never heard the Czechs’ appeals.

With an invisible hand seeming to guide the Zimbabweans’ every move, the girls from Africa triumphed in emphatic style.

The final score was a resounding 4-1.

It was a fairytale victory.

Whichever way the game went between USSR and India, the gold medal belonged to Zimbabwe.

Unheralded and written-off as tourists, the Zimbabwean women’s hockey team had dared to dream—and they’d succeeded.

Tearful, jubilant, relieved, even overwhelmed—the Zimbabwean women were immediately swamped by teammates, coaching staff, travelling friends and fans alike. A small group of Zimbabwean athletes—not competing that day—joined the happy mêlée. They bounced and hugged at the side of the field until officials eventually ushered them out to their waiting buses.