The Sunday News
Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent
THE Zimbabwe Olympic Committee (ZOC) has set its sights on having swimmers, Robyn Lee and Devyn Leask representing the country at the 2020 Olympics scheduled for Tokyo, Japan.
The two swimmers, both based outside the country, acquitted themselves well during the 2017 African Swimming Confederation (Cana) Zone IV Swimming Championships that ended last Sunday at the Bulawayo Pool.
Australian-based Lee (18) was at her best, winning several gold and breaking records in an outstanding performance while United Kingdom-based Leask (17) was not far behind winning several silver and bronze medals.
ZOC president Admire Masenda said they were looking forward to having the two swimmers take over from retired multiple gold medal winning swimmer, Kirsty Coventry.
He said the two swimmers have shown a lot of promise and they have earmarked them for the next Olympics event.
“The two young ladies have shown a lot of potential and we are looking forward to them coming through the system and being part of Team Zimbabwe at the 2020 Olympics,” said Masenda.
He said the performance of Team Zimbabwe at the Games was a sign that junior swimming is alive, well and growing but as ZOC they were concerned about lack of the same talent at the senior level of the sport.
“The issue for us as ZOC is the translation of that development at the higher and senior level, culminating in participating and representing the country and winning at the Olympics.
“The part that is missing is how do we get and maintain this enthusiasm, drive and talent to push right through to the final stage because what happens is we have lots of young kids here but at senior level something is missing,” said Masenda.
Meanwhile, a Cana official has said Bulawayo can benefit immensely from sports tourism if authorities turn the City Pool that recently played host to the African Swimming Confederation (Cana) Zone IV Championships into a world class facility.
Cana Zone IV secretary-general and treasurer Shaun Adriaanse said the City Pool already met the minimum International Swimming Federation (FINA) standards and upgrading it would result in international events being held in Bulawayo.
He said the city had already experienced economic benefits through hosting the regional meet but more could be in the offing if a bigger event is held in the city.
“It is important for Zimbabwe and Bulawayo in particular to embrace the concept of sports tourism and expand the facility to world class standard making it a regional hub for swimming. It already has the advantages of meeting the FINA minimum standards, enabling it to host a world championship qualification event and has a 50m pool alongside a 25m pool that can play host to water polo matches.
“I am not an economist but there were over 400 athletes taking part at this event. Add technical officials, spectators and team officials meaning the games came with increased economic activity for the city,” said Adriaanse.
He said a heating system, sprucing up the stands and in the long term erecting a roof would enable the pool to host events that could be attended by Olympians such as Chad Le Clos.
Adriaanse praised the logistical arrangements for immigration and customs the smoothest ever transition he has experienced when travelling to another country to attend an event.
