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Ellina Mhlanga Senior Sports Reporter
TEENAGE swimmer Donata Katai missed on the women’s 100m backstroke semi-final yesterday when coming 10th in Heat Three in a time of 1minute 4.80seconds at the ongoing 19th FINA World Championships Budapest, Hungary.
Katai finished 10th in Heat Three of the five heats lined up for the women’s 100m backstroke yesterday.
She was placed number 33 out of 43 swimmers from the five heats.
Regan Smith of the United States was the first to hit the wall in Heat Three with a time of 58.31seconds.
Italy’s Margherita Panziera was second in 1minute 00.40 seconds. She was followed home by Maaike De Waard from the Netherlands in 1minute 00.46seconds.
On fourth position was Paulina Peda of Poland with a time of 1minute 00.83seconds and Finland’s Mimosa Jallow was fifth in 1minute 01.1seconds.
The top five from this heat progressed to the semi-finals and Smith’s time was the leading time across the five heats.
Sixteen swimmers from the five heats advanced to the semi-finals that was scheduled for late yesterday.
Katai’s entry time was 1minute 02.73seconds, a personal best time she set during the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games last year. However, yesterday she could not replicate the same performance as she posted a time of 1minute 4.80 seconds in her first event at the competition.
Her next event is the 50m backstroke tomorrow.
Other members of Team Zimbabwe are Nomvula Mjimba, Denilson Cyprianos and Liam Davis.
Mjimba joined the team over the weekend. She is competing in the 100m and 50m freestyle.
She is up for competition on Wednesday when she competes in the 100m freestyle. She will wrap up her events at the championships with the 50m freestyle on Friday.
Katai, Mjimba and Cyprianos are all beneficiaries of the IOC Olympic Solidarity Paris 2024 Scholarships.
Through the support of the IOC, the Olympic Solidarity Scholarship funding offers assistance to National Olympic Committees (NOCs) for direct athlete support towards preparation and qualification for the Olympic Games.
And the trio are among the athletes Zimbabwe is hoping will attain the qualifying standards for the 2024 Olympic Games.
Davis, who is based in Edinburgh, Scotland, is expected to compete in the men’s 200m breaststroke. His event is also scheduled for Wednesday.
Coach Masi Takaedza, who is in charge of the team at the competition, said they are hoping to see the swimmers improving their times and the FINA points for future selection purposes.
“To improve their PBs and rankings, it also gives them an opportunity to improve their FINA points for future selections,” said Takaedza.
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