The Sunday News
Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent
STINGRAYS Swimming Academy prospect, Tichatonga Makaya continued with his fine form this season when he set a new national record for the 200m butterfly in the 12 years and under category during the third Matabeleland Gala that was held on Friday at the City Pool.
Makaya (12) swam the race in two minutes 47,78 seconds to set the new national time.
He shaved off 10 seconds from the previous national record that stood at two minutes 47,88.
Makaya had already broken seven records in the 2018-2019 season after he set two new times in the first gala held last month and another two records in the second gala and three new times at the Mutare Sprint Gala that was held last weekend.
In the first gala he swam the 100m freestyle in one minute 03,10 seconds and the 50m butterfly in 29,85 seconds to set new times while in the second gala he improved his record in the 100m butterfly coming first in a time of one minute 11,31 seconds and won the 200m freestyle in two minutes 21,30 seconds.
Stingrays coach, Eddie Cyprianos said Makaya has been phenomenal this season and looks set to improve as more events are held.
“He (Makaya) has been great this season. He simply needs to keep working harder and stay focused as he still has a long way to go.
“Tich is self-motivated and hardly misses training and when he comes, he always gives his best all the time. He has been consistent and I think that is one of the key traits that have seen him doing so well,” he said.
The 100m freestyle record also saw Makaya, who swims in the 11-12 years age group, meeting the qualification times for the South African juniors.
School of Swimming’s Timea Schultz (13) also put her name on the records sheet at the second Matabeleland gala, setting a new record in the 13-14 age group 100m backstroke in a time of one minute 14,51 seconds.
The fourth Matabeleland gala set for 9 November followed by a Matland Short Course gala two days later.
The Matabeleland Championships are scheduled to run from 26 November to 2 December and the event is traditionally used to select the Matabeleland team that will compete at the National Championships that will run from 2-6 January 2019 in Harare.
