The Sunday News
Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent
A WISH to join his friend in the school’s swimming team has turned into a thriving dream to scale the greater heights in the sport.
Centenary School’s head boy, Tichatonga Makaya wanted to join his friend in the swimming team in 2016 but he had no idea how to swim and he begged his mother to take him for swimming lessons.
Makaya’s mother, Mollen Tanganyika said after going through 10 lessons he felt able and then went on to try in the school team and she did not give much thought to her son’s swimming escapade.
She said after the swimming season ended they forgot about swimming for a while but as the 2016-2017 season beckoned his interest was revived and got encouragement from the Ed Cyprianos, who had taken Makaya through his first lessons.
“Makaya was taught by the Cyprianos in Kumalo and after we had stopped the lessons, they encouraged us to keep him in the sport. Mr C (Cyprianos) felt Ticha is talented in the sport and can go very far.
“The boy has actually gone ahead to impress in the short period he had been in the sport, rising to the top among his peers. He has won several records and impressively made new records,” said Tanganyika.
Makaya recently broke two national records at the recently held Zimbabwe National Junior championships as he outlined his potential as a rising star.
He came first in record time in the 50m freestyle and 50m butterfly at the event that was held at Heritage Primary School Pool in Harare.
Twelve-year-old Makaya completed the 50m freestyle in 28,28 seconds to eclipse the 29,85 seconds that was set by Josh Covill in February last year.
In the 50m butterfly, Makaya emerged first in a time of 30,71 seconds to make the new record with the previous record having stood at 31,86 and was set by a D Huang in November 2015.
Only three short course records were broken at the event with eight-year-old Mbali Sibanda breaking the 25m backstroke record.
Makaya made three long course records at the Senior Matabeleland Championships last year in November as he broke the 50m freestyle record, completing the race in 29,86 seconds to eclipse the 31,44 seconds that had been made by an L Fargnoli in 2008. Makaya also completed the 50m butterfly in 32,54 seconds eclipsing Fargnoli’s 33,22 seconds (2009) while in the 200m freestyle race he clocked two minutes 33,04 seconds to better the two minutes 34,25 seconds that had been set by Fargnoli in 2008.
The Centenary pupil’s coach at Stingrays Swimming Academy, Cyprianos said he was impressed by the progress Makaya has made since he began swimming two years ago.
“He is relatively new to the sport but has been making tremendous progress in the short space of time he began the sport. Makaya did not know how to swim two years ago but he has taken to the sport with ease and is outclassing his peers.
“Next month he will be heading to South Africa to take part in the South African Level 3 national juniors and that will be a big test for him as we will see how he will measure against competition from outside the country. I believe he has a bright future in the sport and could reach greater heights if he remains focused and disciplined,” he said.
Tanganyika said despite being a talented football player, Makaya who has opted for swimming is focusing on steadily improving in the sport.
“At times I get worried by the responsibilities he is taking on; being a head boy, swimming and also balancing the academic side of things.
“We have not set any targets as yet in terms of swimming but I think we will take it as it goes and he will be swimming in SA for the first time next month,” she said. -@rasmthembo
