adminRicky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
LOCAL swimmers will use today’s gala at the Bulawayo City Pool to prepare for the Matabeleland Senior Swimming Championships in two weeks’ time.
The gala organised by the Matabeleland Amateur Swimming Board (MASB) is also used for ranking purposes, with swimmers that post best times enhancing their chances of making it into the Matabeleland team.
Today’s event comes two weeks after MASB held a short course gala where juniors Liam O’Hara and Deilson Cyprianos broke five national records.
Nokuthula Cyprianos, chairperson of the MASB, said they were expecting a competitive pool.
“Competition has been tight and young swimmers have been posting impressive times. Tomorrow’s gala is a seniors’ event, which is also open to juniors. We’ve got the Matabeleland Championships from December 1-4, meaning that those that will compete tomorrow will use the race as part of their preparations for the December meet,” said Cyprianos.
She said the quest to break records is likely to motivate swimmers.
“The trainers have been doing a good job and their swimmers are always racing to post better times. That desire to break local and national records can motivate swimmers,” she said.
Swimmers will compete in five events, the 50m butterfly, 100m backstroke, 100m freestyle, 200m individual medley, 50m breaststroke and 800m freestyle.
Cyprianos said outstanding swimmers will be considered for the Matabeleland team, which will compete at the National Championships to be held early next year in Harare.
Swimmers likely to shatter records at today’s event include O’Hara, Dale Bruce and Brendan Cyprianos — @ZililoR.
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