The Sunday News
Simba Jemwa, Sports Correspondent
THE Zimbabwe swimming team has won 23 medals after day three of competition at the African Swimming Confederation: Confédération Africaine de Natation (CANA)Zone IV Swimming Championships at the Lusaka Olympic Swimming pool, Lusaka city, Zambia.
Zimbabwe had by Friday night won seven gold, nine silver and seven bronze medals and is third on the medal table behind Zambia (27) who are first and Mozambique (21). South Africa are fourth with 22 medals.
Zimbabwe won the regional event in 2020, in Botswana but last year it was replaced by a virtual competition due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Swim queen and Olympian, Donata Katai who represented Zimbabwe at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games last year won gold in the 50m backstroke and silver in the 50m butterfly.
She was joined as a gold medal winner by Olivia Accorsi and Matida Musere both of whom won their individual age group 50m backstroke events.
Kyle Guta won gold in the 50m butterfly but was relegated to second place on the podium in the 50m backstroke. The girls’ 14/ under team of Loyiso Mahobele, Tanatswa
Chandiwana, Tafadzwa Chandiwana and Tori Dawe took gold in the 400 freestyle relay as did the team of Timea Schultz, Riana Rollo, Tanatsirwa Chitsurura and Kiara Goodinson in the 15/under 400 m freestyle relay event.
The boys relay teams were not so lucky winning bronze in the 14/ Under 400M Freestyle and silver in the 15/ over 400M Freestyle.
The 14/under boys’ team comprised Khaya Vimba, Kayden Bhana, Kyle Guta and Limbikani Kalipengule while the Boys 15/ over team had Ben Rorke, Cory Werret, Björn Mhlanga and Ryan Franceys.
Other countries competing at the competition include Angola, Comoros, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Eswatini and hosts Zambia. Michael Ranken and Lindsay Tudor-Cole are the two coaches for Zimbabwe while Zanele Nkomazana is the team manager.
Zim team medals
200M Breast stroke: Bronze — Adrianna Bhana, Silver — Cory Werret.
50M Backstroke: Gold — Olivia Accorsi, Gold — Musere Matida, Gold —Donata Katai, Silver — Ruvarashe Choto, Silver —Kyle Guta, Bronze — Saira Ramajan, Bronze — Benjamin Rork, Bronze — Timea Schultz.
200M Freestyle: Silver — Tori Dawe, Silver —Tanatsirwa Chitsurura, Silver — Ryan Franceys, Bronze — Mkhuseli Mahobele.
50M Butterfly: Gold — Kyle Guta, Silver — Bjorn Mhlanga, Silver — Kiara Goodinson, Silver — Donata Katai, Bronze — Vhenekai Dhemba.
Relays
Gold-14/ under 400M Girls Freestyle relay; (Loyiso Mahobele, Tanatswa Chandiwana, Tafadzwa Chandiwana, Tori Dawe).
Gold — 15/ over 400M Girls Freestyle Relay; (Timea Schultz, Riana Rollo, Tanatsirwa Chitsurura, Kiara Goodinson).
Bronze — Boys 14/ Under 400M Freestyle; (Khaya Vimba, Kayden Bhana, Kyle Guta, Limbikani Kalipengule).
Silver — Boys 15/ over 400M Freestyle Relays : (Ben Rorke, Cory Werret, Björn Mhlanga, Ryan Franceys). — @RealSimbaJemwa
