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Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent
ZIMBABWE Aquatic Union (ZAU) president Mary Kloppers has expressed satisfaction with the preparedness for the 2017 Cana Zone IV Swimming Championships following a mock event held last Friday at the City Pool.
The regional swimming meet is scheduled for Bulawayo from February 16-19 with 13 countries from the region set to participate.
Swimmers from Matabeleland took part in the mock event, with 10 events on the programme and a mock medal presentation ceremony being held.
National team swimmers from the region also took part in the event.
Kloppers said she was delighted with the state of the pool and all is set for the start of the championships.
“The mock event went well as we began with water polo and ended with swimming and I believe it showed that we are ready to host the event. We are happy with the state of the pool and we are looking forward to a great event,” said Kloppers.
The Bulawayo City Pool was renovated into a world class facility with electronic timers in preparation of the AUSC Region V Under-20 Youth Games held in 2014.
Kloppers said swimmers were training with their clubs, while water polo players are with their school teams.
She expressed optimism that Zimbabwe will do well considering the country has two teams comprising more than 70 swimmers.
Last year Zimbabwe came third at the Cana Zone IV meet held in Mauritius.
Countries that have confirmed participation include Angola, Botswana, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Zambia, Kenya and Tanzania.
Kenya and Tanzania are not part of Cana Zone IV, but are coming in as guest countries.
Zimbabwe and South Africa are the only countries featuring in the water polo competition.
The championships are approved by the International Swimming Federation (Fina) and swimmers can achieve A and B Fina qualifying times for the 17th Fina World Championship to be held in Budapest, Hungary, later this year.
The competition is open to swimmers aged 11 years and above. Teams are expected to start arriving on February 14.
The competition started in 2000 as the Sub-Saharan Competition and Zimbabwe last played hosted to it in 2007 when it was held in Harare.
It was named the Cana Zone IV Invitational and the following year it was decided to rename it the Cana Zone III and IV Invitational Swimming Competition.
In accordance with the African Union Sports Council Region V Strategy and Directives, the Cana Zone IV Bureau decided the event be designated as the Cana Zone IV Swimming Championship.
In 2015, Zimbabwe hosted the first ever Cana Zone IV Water Polo Championships in Harare, independently from the Swimming Championships and South Africa followed suit in 2016.
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