Chronicle Editor
Brandon Moyo, Sports Reporter
BULAWAYO Amateur Swimming Association (BASA) have named their squad for the upcoming Zimbabwe Junior National Championships that are set to take place in Harare.
The team that will represent the province starting on March 11 to 13 is made up of 43 swimmers picked from different clubs in the city and the participants are aged between nine and 12 years old.
A total of 22 girls made it into the team while in the boys’ side there are 21 participants who also took part in the recently concluded 2023 Zimbabwe Senior National Championships which took place at City Pool in Bulawayo.
Bulawayo Province will be hoping to produce good results after the performance that their swimmers put out in the Senior Championships which saw some of their members emerging as the best in their age groups.
The girls nine-year-olds’ team is made up of Gugu Kusikwenya (Stingrays), Monalisa Sibanda (SOS), Tianna Kufahakutizwi (SOS), Jaynell Sibanda (Crusaders) and Nandipha Mwedzi (SOS). In the 10-year-olds’ team there is Louisa Ndlovu (Stingrays), Petra Ndlovu (SOS), Nosipho Khumalo (Stingrays), Michelle Nkolomi (Penguins), Zanenkosi Ndlovu (Crusaders) and Ava Chicksen (Crusaders).
In the 11-year-olds the team is made up of Farai Matabeya (SOS), Acacia Watson (SOS), Rachel Ngwenya (Penguins), Maita Gonah (SOS), Isabella Barrow (Stingrays) and Fyfy Onovo (Stingrays). The final age group which is the 12 years old features Mbalenhle Jared (Stingrays), Ocean Armstrong (Penguins), Aaliyah Afzal (Crusaders), Tayla van der Westhuizen (Crusaders) and Nhanisi Moyo (Crusaders).
The nine-year-old boys’ team is made up of Jamel Madonko (Penguins), Raphael Makoni (Crusaders), Zayan Ngwenya (SOS), Mthabisi Msongelwa (Stingrays), Eli Peterson (SOS).
The next age group has Alex Qiao (Stingrays), Nkonzo Mkwananzi (Stingrays), Thabiso Ncube (Penguins), Reece Nesbitt (SOS), Tyler Hassam (SOS), Juan Muller (SOS) and Chad Lee (Stingrays).
The 11-years-old boys’ team consists of Ben Jones (SOS), BJ Nnam (Stingrays), Simphiwe Njenge (Crusaders), Ashton Stanley (SOS) and Andile Sibanda (Penguins).
The 12-year-olds’ team is made up of Siqokoqela Mphoko (Stingrays), Watipa Zvenyika (Penguins), Jayden Sibanda (Penguins) and Jwes Jared (Stingrays).
The swimming gala will be held at Chisipite Senior School and over 150 swimmers are expected to take place with Harare fielding 72 participants.
Mbalenhle Jared will look to continue with the exploits she exhibited at the recently held Senior Nationals where she was the best female swimmer on display. – @brandon_malvin.
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