Chronicle Editor
Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
STINGRAYS Swimming Academy is set to honour swimmers who excelled last season at a ceremony slated for Friday.
The club enjoyed a successful 2021/22 season by clinching both the Bulawayo Junior and Senior Championships.
Stingrays chairperson Nokuthula Cyprianos said they hope the awards will spur her swimmers to achieve more in the coming season.
“The swimmers did well to retain the provincial championships, while others that took on national and international assignments also came with good results.
Some of the categories that will be up for grabs include most improved, most valuable, overall junior achiever, most outstanding, most dedicated, most competitive, most consistent, most disciplined and the Memorial Trophy,” she said.
Several swimmers excelled this year, including Tichatonga Makaya, who was honoured by Zimbabwe Swimming with a black blazer for his performances in the pool.
Makaya attended the African Junior Championships in Ghana during the pre-season and was outstanding in the 50m butterfly race.
He emerged as runner-up in the 15-16 years age category in the Zimbabwe Senior nationals that were held in February in Harare.
United States-based Denilson Cyprianos was also awarded senior colours by Zimbabwe Swimming for his outstanding performances.
The Bulawayo senior championships held in November saw Dylan Lee achieving an overall age winner in the 17 years and over age group, while Makaya was runner-up in the 15-16 years age group, with Sibusiso Fayayo clinching the 12 and under overall.
Jasper Mpofu and Dylan Lee represented Zimbabwe in the Region 5 Games in Lesotho in December 2021 and both managed to come home with three silver medals for their relays.
Stingrays clinched the Bulawayo Junior Championships that were held in February, with the boys emerging first.
Several swimmers emerged tops in the event with Fayayo taking first place in the 12-year-olds section, while Kwandokuhle Nkomazana was the runner-up. In the 11-year-old boys, Siqokoqela Mphoko was the runner up.
Nkonzo Mkhwananzi was the overall winner in the 9-year-old boys category.
Senamile Mphoko was first runner-up in the 12-year-old girls’ category, while Mbalenhle Jared came second in the 11-year old and Louisa Ndlovu clinched the overall winner in the nine-year olds.
Khaya Vimba attended the South African National Juniors where he put up a great showing and brought home gold in the 50m breaststroke and a bronze in the 100m breaststroke.
— @innocentskizoe
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