MASB Junior Champs on at Petra

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
THE absence of senior referee Nokuthula Cyprianos will not affect the Matabeleland Amateur Swimming Board (MASB) Junior Championships set for Petra Primary School in Bulawayo tomorrow.

Cyprianos leaves tomorrow for the United States of America where she will visit her sons, former national junior swimming captain Brendon, who is in his second year of a four-year scholarship at Mars Hill University in North Carolina. Brendon is majoring in business administration and political science.

Her other son Andresious is also a former national champion and is on a swimming scholarship at Pace University in New York where he studies mathematics and economics.

According to swimming regulations, times posted in events without a qualified referee are not considered for national records, but MASB chairperson Bokani Dube feels the absence of Cyprianos will not take the glimmer out of tomorrow’s event.

“Our referee, who has been officiating at almost all our events, is tied up this weekend as she is travelling to the US. However, we do have qualified time keepers that have been officiating at our events. The Matabeleland Amateur Swimming Board Junior Championships is open to swimmers that participate in the 12 years and under age groups. Swimmers with best times will all be battling for places in the team that will represent the province at the national competition in March,” said Dube.

The National Junior Championships will be held at Petra Primary on the weekend of March 16-17.

Clubs affiliated to MASB that will have swimmers at tomorrow’s competition are Barracudas, BG Dolphins, Crusaders, Penguins, SOS, Stingrays and Zambezi Tigers of Victoria Falls.

Among the swimmers that are expected to shine at tomorrow’s event are Onye Onovo, Avril Carinus and Pamela Ncube in the Under-12 girls’ category.

Onesimus Ngwenya, Kayden Bhana, Tawanda Jani, Ruan Nel, Khaya Vimba, Reece Rollo, Nsikelelo Sibanda and Sibusiso Sibanda will all take part in the boys’ Under-12 category.

— @ZililoR