By Elishamai A. Ziumbwa

The inaugural 2025 Garrett Morgan Festival, held over the weekend to celebrate Zimbabwean culture and diversity through sport, was a resounding success, according to event director Tapiwa Taodzera.

In an interview with 263Chat.com, Taodzera acknowledged that although the event experienced a delayed start due to the late arrival of teams, the main objective was still met with all 16 registered teams showing up.

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"While the turnout from the general public was lower than expected, we consider it a strong start, especially since this was our first edition in Zimbabwe," he said.

Despite not reaching the anticipated attendance figures, Taodzera remained optimistic.

"We received low numbers apart from our registered participants, but hopefully next time we'll have a better turnout," Taodzera added.

The event was cut short at the semi-final stage due to lighting challenges however, the prize money was shared among the teams that had advanced.

"The captains of the mixed 7-a-side teams that reached the semi-finals agreed to split the US$1,000 prize money evenly, with each of the four teams receiving US$250, since it was no longer feasible to continue to the finals," he said.

Taodzera said despite the challenges, the festival successfully conveyed its core message: promoting a culturally rich and diverse Zimbabwe.