Thabani Gonye, left, has been appointed Zimbabwe's Chef de Mission for Tokyo 2020, returning to a role he held at Beijing 2008 when Kirsty Coventry, right, won four medals, including a gold and three silvers ©ZOC

Zimbabwe have appointed Thabani Gonye as its Chef de Mission for next year's Olympic Games in Tokyo, they have announced.

He had held the same role at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing - Zimbabwe's most successful-ever Games. 

Gonye is a former sprinter who represented the country at the 1991 International Association of Athletics Federations World Championships in Tokyo, competing in the 100 and 400 metres.

The 52-year-old is now vice-president of the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee (ZOC), a role he has held for five years having previously been the organisation's treasurer. 

He was also previously secretary general of the National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe.

"ZOC is pleased to announce the appointment of former athlete and experienced administrator Thabani Gonye as Chef De Mission to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games," ZOC said in a statement.

"Having successfully undergone an interview process, his nomination was presented to and approved by the ZOC Board at its first quarter meeting on 9 February 2019. 

"The CdM's main role will be to effectively manage the Zimbabwe Olympic team before, during and after the Games.

"Thabani is the chair of the [ZOC] Technical and Development Commission. 

"He brings with him vast experience in sport governance, high-performance sport and multi-disciplinary Games team management, having been an accomplished athlete, turned distinguished club owner-coach and eventually an administrator at National Federation level. 

"Gonye managed teams to several regional and international competitions."

Thabani Gonye was Chef de Mission for Zimbabwe at Beijing 2008 when swimmer Kirsty Coventry won four medals, including a gold in the 200 metres backstroke, making it the country's most successful Olympic Games ©Getty Images
Thabani Gonye was Chef de Mission for Zimbabwe at Beijing 2008 when swimmer Kirsty Coventry won four medals, including a gold in the 200 metres backstroke, making it the country's most successful Olympic Games ©Getty Images

Zimbabwe made its Olympic debut as Southern Rhodesia at Amsterdam in 1928. 

They then did not compete again until Rome 1960.

The country then missed the Olympics until Moscow 1980 when they returned under its new name Zimbabwe.

Given a late call-up because of the boycott following the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan, their women's hockey team pulled off a major surprise by winning the gold medal.

Since then, they have won another seven medals - all by Kirsty Coventry in swimming.

Coventry won the 200 metres backstroke at Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008.

At Athens 2004, she also won one silver and a bronze.

At Beijing 2008, she added three silver - single-handedly lifting Zimbabwe to 38th on the medal table.

At Rio 2016, when Zimbabwe's Chef de Mission was Titus Zvomuya, the country sent a team of 31 athletes - their biggest since Moscow 36 years previously.

Coventry again produced their best performance, finishing sixth in the 200m backstroke in her last appearance in the Olympics. 

Coventry, now Zimbabwe's Sports Minister and a member of the International Olympic Committee, appeared alongside Gonye at the announcement in Harare by the ZOC of his appointment as Chef de Mission. 

"ZOC will focus and intensify support for athletes with proven and credible potential who, based on the sport specific qualification systems in place, will be targeting specific events in which to compete and try to earn the limited slots," ZOC said in the statement.