‘Madam Chair’ relives mid-air scare

Sport
BY ALBERT MARUFUUNLESS one has acrophobia (fear of heights), it is everyone’s dream to board an airplane and when that is fulfilled, there is every reason to have a feeling of satisfaction.

This is the same feeling that the Zimbabwe women’s Under-20 contingent had last Sunday aboard the Boeing 737 British Airways passenger jet on their way from South Africa’s OR Tambo International Airport.

To cap their achievement, the Young Mighty Warriors had beaten Mozambique in the World Cup qualifier and were expecting a happy landing at the Harare International Airport in one hour-thirty minutes to an expectant crowd waiting to welcome them home.

However, at about 30 000 feet above sea level and having flown close to an hour, the jet developed a fault and had to be redirected to OR Tambo International Airport where it was attended to before resuming the journey back home.

In that group of shell-shocked passengers was Mavis Chirandu, the youngest member of the Young Mighty Warriors squad who has grown up to be an integral member of the team playing with a vision that defies her 17 years of age.

Though one week has already elapsed since that mid-air scare, the incident left an indelible mark on the mind of the Bindura-born youngster.

“It had always been my dream to board an airplane and growing up in a small town like Bindura, I never thought anything wrong could happen in that spacious thing. I did not see anything as it happened, but when we were told that we were redirecting to OR Tambo, everyone was scared. We were very scared and did not know if we were going to land safely. God works wonders indeed,” she said.

“I was scared but I cannot say I will never board a plane again. In fact it made me stronger because I am now aware that such things can happen to an airplane. Accidents can happen anywhere, anytime. However, I thank God that we landed safely,” she said.

Chirandu, whom her team mates refer to as “Madam Chair”, was born in the mining town of Bindura on January 15 1995 and started playing soccer at the age of eight.She got her first call up to national duty last year when the Young Mighty Warriors played South Africa in a friendly match.

“I grew up envying ladies who played for the national team and never dreamt of being part of them. I then joined Auckland FC in the Mashonaland Central league. I had my happiest moments when the coaches called me for national duty last year.

“It is my hope that in the near future I will be called to the senior national team. However, it has to be the coaches’ discretion,” she said.

Her Under-20 coach, Langton Giwa, reckons that Madam Chair is destined for greatness and it is only a matter of time before she graduates to the senior team.

“She is the youngest member of the team, but already plays like a seasoned player. She can do anything with the ball and we are currently working on her marking,” he said.