Online Reporter
Ellina Mhlanga
Zimpapers Sports Hub
WITH two days to go before the National Sprint Gala comes to life in Bulawayo, Local Organising Committee member Lucinda Afzal has declared her crew ready for what promises to a highly-competitive swimming extravaganza.
Over 400 swimmers from 23 clubs are expected to participate at the gala scheduled for Friday and Saturday at Bulawayo City Pool.
This is the first time that the inter-club gala is being held outside Mutare.
“We as Bulawayo Amateur Swimming Association are very proud to be hosting this gala and extending a warm welcome to the nation. “Our facility is of a top-standard and the venue is perfect for the numbers we are hosting.
“Preparations are going very well with the groundwork being done and at an advanced stage of setting up.
“We are extremely appreciative of Ecocash for coming on board as well and making the gala a success,” said Afzal.
The inter-club gala is held at the beginning of the season to identify talent ahead of other major competitions lined up for the year. Being the first national event of the season, it is also an opportunity for the swimmers to gauge themselves at national level as they compete against counterparts from other provinces. With Zimbabwe Swimming hoping to come up with their long list for next year’s African Union Sports Council Region 5 Youth Games early, the gala presents a platform to start working towards their target. Afzal said they are looking forward to their clubs doing well at the event, as they compete in familiar territory.
“All our four affiliated clubs have entered the gala — Crusaders Swimming Club, Penguins Swimming Club, School of Swimming, and Stingrays Swimming Academy.
“Our coaches have been hard at work in the clubs having just come out of winter training. “We really look forward to battling it out in the water and encourage all our supporters to come out to cheer our swimmers on.
“With this being a sprint gala, we are expecting a high level of great performances by our swimmers. The competition will indeed be very competitive across the board.
“Our seniors will be out to leave their mark and juniors will be making their own mark known.
“We are quite excited to be the hosts with our new national sponsor Ecocash. It’s a huge opportunity to thank Eco-cash and show many other potential sponsors that swimming is a growing sport,” Afzal said.
For those that were part of the team that represented the country at the Africa Aquatics Zone IV Championships in Eswatini last month, they will be hoping to build on their performances from the regional meet.
