The 2026 Zimbabwe Tertiaries Sports Association (ZITS) Ladies Chess Championship was successfully hosted at Harare Polytechnic from 5–9 May 2026, attracting some of the country’s top female tertiary chess players in a thrilling showcase of strategy, talent, and competitive spirit.
After five hard-fought rounds, ZUS1 emerged as the champions of the Ladies Section with an impressive 4.5/5 points. The title race went right down to the wire, as ZUS1 finished level on points with ZUS2, with the championship ultimately decided on tiebreak criteria where ZUS1 held the advantage.
The tournament featured several outstanding individual performances. Leading the way for the champions was Woman Candidate Master (WCM) Refiloe Mudodo on Board 1, whose experience and composure proved crucial for ZUS1 throughout the competition. Rufaro Gwaza also delivered a strong and consistent performance on Board 2, while Makanaka Chiwara of ZUS2 impressed many with her excellent showing on Board 3.
By virtue of their victory, ZUS1 has earned the honour of representing Zimbabwe at this year’s CUCSA Games to be hosted in Botswana. The team will now shift focus towards preparing to compete against some of the strongest university teams in the Southern African region.
ZUS1 (Chinhoyi University) – Ladies Champions 🥇🏆
- WCM Refiloe Mudodo
- Rufaro Gwaza
- Portia Sibanda
- Lovemess Kamondo
- Tanatswa Mukonoweshuro
- Ruvimbo Mirira
Congratulations to ZUS1 on this outstanding achievement and commendations to all participating teams and players for contributing to a successful and highly competitive championship.
Zimbabwe wishes ZUS1 all the very best as they prepare to fly the nation’s flag high at the upcoming CUCSA Games in Botswana.