Chronicle Editor
Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent
SWIMMERS Donata Katai and Denilson Cyprianos, broke national records at the ongoing Fina World Junior Swimming Championships in Budapest, Hungary in their respective 100m backstroke races.
Cyprianos broke his own 17-year-old record lowering it from 59,01 seconds to 58,27 seconds and the Open record which was previously held by Brendan Ashby and stood at 58,28 seconds.
Katai broke her own record set in March which stood at one minute 05,60 seconds taking it down to one minute 05,04 seconds, on the second day of the competition which began on Tuesday and ends today.
Liam O’Hara made a personal best in the 100m breaststroke with a time of one minute 03,92 seconds taking almost two seconds of his entry time while Paige van der Westhuizen clocked 35,46 in her 50m breaststroke.
Zimbabwe Swimming chairperson, Tracey Doorman expressed delight at the swimmers performances saying they were impressive.
“I think at that stage of the competition they have done well, particularly Donata and Denilson who broke national records in their respective 100m backstroke events.
“While other swimmers have not broken records they have been making personal best times which is a sign of improvement on their part and showing they are pulling up their socks,” she said.
Doorman said with age on their side, the swimmers should be able to compete at senior events in the coming year and keep on improving in their times.
“We have the African Swimming Championships coming up in Durban, South Africa in April, an event they can start preparing for now and also aim for the next World Championships,” she added.
In 50m butterfly Katai completed the race in 29,70 seconds while van der Westhuizen hit the pad in 30,39 seconds with Cyprianos completing the 50m backstroke in 28,28 seconds.
O’Hara swam the 200m individual medley in two minutes 14,63 seconds to remove three seconds off his personal best while Cyprianos came in two minutes 01,52 in the 200 freestyle, a race that he managed to emerge first in, in his heat in style as he came from behind.
Cyprianos will be looking to do his best today as he takes part in the 200m backstroke, a race in which he holds a national record.
Meanwhile at the African Games in Marrakech, Morocco, Robyn Lee scooped bronze in the 200m backstroke coming in third in a time of two minutes 22,50 seconds.
Online Reporter