daniel chigunwe
Ellina Mhlanga Senior Sports Reporter
OVER 200 local swimmers are set to participate in the CANA Zone IV Virtual Age Group Championships today and tomorrow.
The competition will see participants from Zone IV countries competing virtually.
In Zimbabwe, swimmers will converge in Harare, and Bulawayo.
Other countries taking part are Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Eswatini and Zambia.
The results from all CANA Zone IV countries will be collated, to come up with a regional age group ranking database.
There will be two separate rankings for 25m and for 50m pools.
Zimbabwe Swimming chairperson, Tracey Doorman, said their swimmers have entered in various events.
“So, how the competitions works is that athletes are entered, their results will then be combined with results from all the countries in the region, and then a ranking is posted back based on the age group and the event.
“We have 270 swimmers swimming this weekend between Harare and Bulawayo.
‘’We have two venues within Zimbabwe competing in CANA virtual gala and they have entered a variety of events.
“We, obviously, are allowed to swim relays and how we have done the relays is that the best swimmers at that venue have been included in the relays.
“We will have lots of relay teams, all the results then go through to CANA for analysis, and coordination,” said Doorman.
In Harare swimmers will be at Les Brown Pool.
Harare Amateur Swimming board chairperson, Zanele Nkomazana, said the gala was an opportunity for the swimmers to gauge themselves against their counterparts.
“We have some Olympians all over the CANA Zone countries who have entered. So, it will be good to compare our swimmers with some very top swimmers, from all over the CANA Zone IV.
“It’s an honour for our swimmers to represent Zimbabwe at home.
“All of them, from nine years to over 17, they are all representing the country, as long you are affiliated to Zimbabwe swimming, you are representing Zimbabwe at home, no travelling, no expenses.
“We are excited, we are looking forward to it,” said Nkomazana.
Some of the swimmers are preparing for the African Union Sports Council Region Five Youth Games set for Maseru, Lesotho, in December.
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