admin
Ellina Mhlanga Senior Sports Reporter
AS Zimbabwe brace for the upcoming 16th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m), promising swimmer Donata Katai says she is looking at improving her times.
Zimbabwe are set to field four swimmers — Katai, United States-based Nomvula Mjimba, UK-based Liam Davis and Liam O’Hara, who is based in South Africa.
The championships are set to run from December 13 to 18 in Melbourne, Australia.
Katai is expected to compete in 50m and 100m backstroke while Mjimba will be up for 50m and 100m freestyle.
Davis is going to compete in 200m breaststroke and O’Hara is set to swim 100m breaststroke and 200m individual medley.
Katai said she has been working on improving some aspects of her swimming as the championships gets closer. “As always it is an honour and a priviledge to get the opportunity to represent my country at the highest levels.
“I have been working on improving the little areas in my training such as diet, strength and conditioning and lastly turns. It is a long process but one that I am enjoying.
“Preparations for the meet have been going well, however we’ve had some hiccups — sponsorship has delayed to come through and so we have had to try and raise money for the air tickets. So we are looking for any help that may be provided in this regard,” said Katai.
Katai has previously represented the country at various competitions including the regional galas, World Championships and the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
She is one of the hopefuls for the 2024 Olympics.
“Being exposed to the highest levels of competitions definitely allows me to learn how professional athletes train, prepare and conduct themselves during competition. As an aspiring athlete who hopes to reach those levels one day, I think all this exposure is definitely helping me reach these goals.
“At these coming championships I am looking to improve my times and learn as much I can from being in and around the best of the best,” Katai said.
The Zimbabwean swimmers have been training at their respective bases.
The trio of Katai, Mjimba and Davis were at the 19th FINA World Championships held in June, in Budapest, Hungary, and set personal best times in their respective events.
Katai set a personal best of 29.81seconds in the 50m backstroke. On the other hand, Mjimba set a new personal best of 28.13seconds in the 50m freestyle and another personal best in 100m freestyle when she completed the race in 1minute 02.20seconds.
Davis also set a personal best of 2minutes 19.62seconds in the 200m breaststroke.
Katai is currently working with her coach, Kathy Lobb, who said it’s been a busy period for the swimmer, who is also expected to be part of the African Union Sports Council Region Five Youth Games due to take place in Malawi from December 2 to 11.
“It has been a difficult six months since the Extraordinary World Championship in Budapest because of her knee injury and subsequent operation and then (writing) her A levels.
“She is training hard in between exams both in the pool and the gym. She has a busy December ahead with the Region Five Games in Malawi at the beginning of the month followed immediately by the World Championships in Australia,” Lobb said.
The four-member team will be led by coach Masi Takaedza. Zanele Nkomazana is the manager.
Nkomazana, who is also Zimbabwe Swimming chair, said they are running around to ensure the team takes part at the championships.
Online Reporter