Blue Ribbon preps on course

By Ellina Mhlanga
LES BROWN swimming complex will be a hive of activity when the National Senior Swimming Championships get underway this evening.
The championships, which will run until Monday, are expected to feature swimmers from Mashonaland, Matabeleland, Manicaland, and Mashonaland Country Districts.
Zimbabwe Aquatic Union secretary, Mary Kloppers, said they expected all provinces in Harare tomorrow.
“We are starting competition tomorrow evening (today) with the 400m freestyle.
“We expect most of the participants on Friday because tomorrow (today) we are doing the long distance event and not all participants compete in the long distance events. However, we expect a full house on Friday,” said Kloppers.
Participants will also take part in the 50metre, 100metre, and 200metre backstroke, breaststroke, individual medley and butterfly events.
About 162 participants are expected to take part. Kloppers said there has been a slight drop in the numbers for this year’s competition.
“The number of provinces taking part has slightly dropped this year but Mashonaland are still competitive and still maintain their good numbers. Other provinces slightly dropped in performance because of lack of competition. The biggest problem is lack of facilities, we do not have pools for example in Manicaland but the quality of the competition is still there,” said Kloppers.
The ZAU secretary said they were going to have a coaching clinic next month targeting mainly school teachers.