The Sunday News
Simba Jemwa, Sports Correspondent
BULAWAYO Province swimmers had mixed fortunes after two days of competition at the National Swimming Championships currently underway in Harare at the Les Brown Swimming Pool.
Bulawayo Province are currently second behind Harare Province after 103 events in the combined team scores having amassed 104 points with the hosts raking in 170 points. Matabeleland South are third with 13 points and Mashonaland Country Districts fourth with 8 points.
The men’s team from Bulawayo has been doing well and are leading the points haul with 72 points compared to the hosts’ 59. Matabeleland South are third with 9 points.
Fifteen year-old Reece Rollo won the boys (15-16) 400-meter freestyle in a time of 4 minutes 58.20 seconds ahead of his teammate, Emmanuel Sibanda who finished in 5 minutes 06.98 seconds. Ruan Nel from Matabeleland South was third in a time of 5 minutes 12.78 seconds.
In the boys 17 and over age group, Bulawayo Province’s Nathan Ngwenya was third in a time of 5 minutes 09.65 seconds behind the one and two of the hosts. First was Ryan Franceys in a time of 4 minutes 34.24 seconds and his teammate Carl Kaziboni was second in a time of 4 minutes 58.41 seconds.
In the boys (13-14) 400-meter freestyle, Bulawayo Province’s Patrick Duff took gold in a time of 4 minutes 57.00 second ahead of the hosts’ Limbikani Kalipengule. Teak Watson of Matabeleland South was third in 5 minutes 03.08 seconds.
In the women’s team rankings, Harare Province are first with 112 points while Bulawayo are second with a point haul of 32. Mashonaland Country Districts are third with 6 points and Matabeleland fourth with 4 points.
Bulawayo’s Olivia Accorsi was the pick of the girls (15-16) 400-meter freestyle taking gold in a time of 5 minutes 21.12 seconds ahead of Steph Rundle from Mashonaland Country Districts who finished in 5 minutes 21.38 seconds.
Accorsi’s teammate Nozintaba Masiye-Moyo took third place in 5 minutes 28.30 seconds.
In the girls (15-16) 400-meter freestyle, the hosts swept the podium, Anje Van As pipping her teammates Keisha Lu and Vhenekai Dhemba. Van As clocked 4 minutes 58.93 seconds while Lu clocked 5 minutes 16.25 seconds. Dhemba clocked 5 minutes 19.66 seconds to take bronze.
Meanwhile, the championships’ opening ceremony on Friday was graced by a high-powered delegation from the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation, Sports and Recreation Commission (SRZ) and the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee (ZOC).
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation, Dr Thokozile Chitepo, was the Guest of Honour at the event’s opening ceremony. She was accompanied by ministry officials including director of sports in the Ministry, Dr. Eugenia Chidhakwa, SRC acting director-general, Sebastian Garikayi, and ZOC chief executive, Stephen Mudawarima. They were hosted by the Zimbabwe Aquatic Union president, Onismo Nhondova. – @RealSimbaJemwa
