Cyprianos basks in 200m open record

Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent

ETCHING one’s name in the annals of history is what motivates every sportsperson as they take to the field.

New records are what spectators look out for during the largest sporting showcase, the Olympics and setting new benchmarks leaves sportspersons with Stingray’s swimmer, Denilson Cyprianos managed to make a mark last month when he put himself on the list of those who hold Open records as he completed the 200m backstroke race at the South African National Junior Age Groups in two minutes 08,64 seconds to set a record in both the 17 year old and Open categories. The feat saw Cyprianos eclipse Brendan Ashby’s open time of two minutes 10,40 seconds for the past 17 years.

At the age of 16, Cyprianos ranks among the top swimmers at his age to put their name into Zimbabwe’s open records, which mark the overall record for all age groups. Cyprianos was pleased with the feat but revealed he had been aiming to go below the two minute 08,00 mark.

“I am happy being on the Open records list but in achieving it, I missed my target that we had set as I decided to race for a position instead of focusing on beating the time and employing my strategy. However, I took lessons and I am looking forward to taking part in the FINA World Junior Championships in Budapest, Hungary,” he said.

Cyprianos is slowly gaining the moniker “king of backstroke” as he has been dominating the event and in Durban he managed to make it three qualifying times for Hungary as he had previously made the times in the 50m and 100m backstroke events and then added the 200m time.

His coach and father, Eddie said after going below the 2:08.00 minute mark during training they expected Denilson to reach that time during the finals.

“Usually when he reaches a certain time during training he goes on and achieves that time in a competition but I guess it was a lesson learnt, now we know that it is more important that he focuses on himself and not competitors as swimming is more of a race against time. We are turning our attention to Budapest although he is taking a break at the moment and focusing on gym and will return to the pool in mid-May,” he said.

Other Stingrays’ swimmers also had a good outing at Kings Park Pool with Tichatonga Makaya (13) breaking the 100m butter 13-year- old national record as he swam the race in one minute 05,24 seconds eclipsing M Lawson’s one minute 06,39 seconds that had been standing since December 2006.

The feat saw Makaya qualify for the Africa Junior Championships to be held in Tunisia in September.

Joash Mckonie (16) and Quintin Tayali (17) managed to meet the set times for Budapest with the later swimming the 50m butterfly in a time of 26,04 seconds and the latter completed the 100m butterfly in one minute 00,39 seconds.

As qualification for Budapest requires that one meets two entry times, Tayali is leaving for Durban to take part in the SA National Aquatic Championships, where he hopes to meet another entry time and qualify for the FINA World Junior Championships scheduled for August.