HAS seek to end season on a high

Ellina Mhlanga Senior Sports Reporter

AFTER some encouraging performances in the first half of the season, Harare Amateur Swimming are anticipating a successful last half of the 2021-2022 season when they resume competition in January.

The province is scheduled to resume activities on the weekend of January 22 to 23 when they host the Sixth Seeded Gala and the Fifth Junior League respectively.

Apart from their provincial meets, the last half of the season will also see them competing in three national competitions starting with Mutare National Sprint Gala on January 28 and 29.

This will be followed by the Senior National Championships from February 17 to 21 at Les Brown Swimming Pool in Harare.

The last national event they are looking at is the Junior National Championships pencilled for March 12 and 13, in Bulawayo.

Harare Amateur Swimming board chairperson, Zanele Nkomazana, said they had a fruitful first half of the 2021-2022 season and would want to carry the momentum to the last half.

A number of swimmers from the province were part of the team that went to Lesotho for the African Union Sports Council Region Five Youth Games this month.

“The first half of the season though with a delayed start (due to Covid-19 lockdown) was a success. The AUSC Region Five results prove how much the coaches and swimmers worked.

“Some excellent swims so far. The times have come down significantly and swimmers have already qualified for various tours during our provincial championships. CANA Zone Virtual gala also proved how much talent Harare Swimming has.

“We round up the season with three nationals, sprint in Mutare, Seniors in Harare and Juniors in Bulawayo, of which Harare are the defending champions. We are confident we will bring the silverware home,” said Nkomazana.

However, the province is yet to finalise the teams for the senior and junior national competitions.

“No teams yet. Senior team will be announced at the beginning of the year and junior team after our provincial championships in February. The national sprint gala is an interclub gala,” said Nkomazana.

There are various age group galas in South Africa and some of the swimmers have already qualified to take part.

These include the South Africa Regional Age Group Championships Level Three, and Level Two, South Africa Senior Regional Aquatic Championships and Junior Regional Age Group Championships.

These events are scheduled to take place between mid-March and early April.

“Swimmers will then travel to South Africa for various age group galas. Again our coaches will be focusing on all these tours as we wrap up the season,” said Nkomazana.

At provincial level, HAS’s last competition on their calendar is the Harare Short Course on March 7.