Chronicle Editor
Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent
DESPITE having spent the better part of the swimming season under lockdown, local swimmers proved that they are on top of their game when they clinched medals at the South Africa Invitational Aquatic Championships that ended on Sunday in Port Elizabeth.
Stingrays’ Khaya Vimba (14) clinched gold in the 50m breaststroke in a time of 33:93 seconds. Vimba went on to win gold in the 50m butterfly and 100m breaststroke while claiming silver in the 100m freestyle event.
Tichatonga Makaya (15) scooped gold in the 50m butterfly even, bronze in the 200m freestyle and came fourth in the 100m event with all his time being personal bests. Jayden De Swart sawm the 100m backstroke in 1:08:53 to land a bronze while Onesimus Ngwenya (14) swam the 200m butterfly in 2:37:74 to clinch a silver medal at the meet.
Meanwhile, Stingrays’ Makaya broke the Zimbabwe National Record in the 200m butterfly (2.26:42) for 15-year old at the Bulawayo Amateur Swimming Association end of season gala held a fortnight ago.
Penguins’ Ngwenya Onesimus now holds the national record for the same event in the 14-year-old age section after completing the race in two minutes 37.73 at the same event.
derick.khumalo