The Sunday News
Lovemore Dube
WHEN Highlanders chief executive officer Ronald Moyo and board chairman Luke Mnkandla speak about Highlanders turning 100 years old in 2026, they light up.
It is a subject they have been excited about for a while and would want to see many activities building up to 2026 for the grand occasion.
It is an occasion that captures history and celebrates the achievements taken by generations of administrators, coaches, players, members and supporters.
But Highlanders will not be alone in celebrating that milestone.
One landmark installation of the city, City Pool otherwise popularly known as Borrow Street Pool will also be celebrating 100 years of existence.
While the pool will be celebrating its centennial the resident swimming club, Crusaders, probably the oldest club in the country will also be turning 100 years old.
There is reason to celebrate as the club has been home to many great talents on either side of Independence who have shone for the city, province and country.
All the country’s home-groomed talents have at one stage or the other taken the plunge and competed at City Pool or against Crusaders swimmers.
Wayne de Swardt, the Crusaders Swimming Club chairman is excited about the forthcoming celebrations whose shape is still in the planning stage.
“This is one of the oldest swimming pools in the country and we have been here as a club since its construction in 1926. We have never been elsewhere and we share a common history with the pool,” said de Swardt.
Ronald Moyo
He said they find it exciting that Bulawayo will be set alight by the centennial celebrations as Highlanders who have been great sporting ambassadors of the city, are also celebrating a century of good service to sport and the community.
“We are quite happy that we will be celebrating our 100 years with the pool and Highlanders. We all have done well to fly the Bulawayo flag high and had a positive impact on sport and community with successes,” said de Swart.
De Swardt said the name Crusaders could have come from England where there was a group of English people who went about building infrastructure.
“We are trying to research how the name came by. But what we know is that the Crusaders were from England and they went about it, especially in Europe where they built infrastructure. The club has used that name for 98 years,” said de Swardt.
Another member of the Crusaders Swimming Club administration, Lucinda Afzeel said in 2026 they are looking at hosting a very big swimming gala as the “plug” celebration event.
“We are a swimming club and would love to host a big gala to mark our 100 years. We are still thinking about other activities to have to celebrate that milestone,” she said.
De Swardt said the past 98 years have seen men and women volunteer their time to churn out champions at the club either as administrators or coaches.
Volunteerism has kept the club going this far.
“There have been so many unsung heroes at the club who have come to Crusaders as volunteers to administer and to coach. It has not been an easy ride but one of perseverance and love for what people do for themselves, their children and Bulawayo at large. They have all been committed and we have others now who are prepared to take the club to the next era and still have the hunger for success which is what Crusaders have associated with,” said de Swardt.
Crusaders have withered many storms but still managed to keep a segment of Bulawayo’s sporting community together. This has been because of the passion the Crusaders community has for the sport and one another.
It is a multi-racial club.
Among some of the top administrators the club has provided for the sport and Zimbabwe are Lorna Riley, Carol McCallister, Allen Bruce, Guy Stirling, Erol Nommington, Alice Mayjer, the late Liz Dare and Cathy Bruce.
“These men and women have done a fantastic job for swimming and the club, there are others that we have not mentioned but would like to pay tribute to them including one Mr Nail who is said to have founded the club,” said de Swardt.
Baracudas, BG Dolphins, Falcon, SOS, Inyeluka, Stingrays and Penguins are some of the clubs the city has had over the years.
Among some of the big names that have swam for Crusaders are Dylan Irwin, Wandile Banda, Courtney McCallister, Grant Smith, Ashby Tink, Nicole Herbert, Avalon and Dale Bruce, Estelle Stambolie, Roan Isemonger, Rebecca Nash, Andrew-John Stambolie, Levi Fargnoli, Savanna Stead, Jayden de Swardt, Vusa Ncube, Reece Rollo, Jamie Isemonger, Luke Isemonger, Alan Ogden, Nsikelelo Sibanda, Ryan Mugota, Nomvula Dube, Kathleen O’dea, Senamile Mphoko, Imaan Afzal, Iliyah Afzal and Onye Onovo.
“We will continue to work hard as a club to produce quality swimmers and still have room for those coming for recreational swimming lessons. As a club we are proud to be celebrating 100 years of the club and sport,” said de Swardt who disclosed that the present City Pool which was improved for the 2014 Africa Union of Sports Region Five Games had been improved to what many have seen over the past years in 1970.
It used to be a 70-yard pool but in 1970 it became a 100m one.
De Swardt and colleagues still dream big about the club and believe many All-Africa and Olympic swimmers will come through their hands and the City Pool.
The pool and the club are like “Siamese twins” they are inseparable and will be celebrating 100 years with yet another giant — Highlanders in 2026.
