Online Reporter
Ellina Mhlanga
Zimpapers Sports Hub
SWIMMING coach Lindsy Tudor-Cole has said the recent camp in South Africa has left the team preparing for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games motivated.
The swimming team, made up of Kwandokuhle Nkomazana, Daniella Viki, Alexis Johnsen and Connor Grist recently had a week-long camp at the High-Performance Centre in Pretoria.
It is part of their preparations for the Games coming to Africa for the first time.
Swimming is one of the seven sport codes from Zimbabwe that will have representation at the Games due to take place from October 31 to November 13.
While most of the training sessions were similar to the ones the team has been having back home where they have working on the physical and mental side to ensure the swimmers are ready, Tudor-Cole said the environment provided a different perspective in terms of work ethic for the young swimmers.
“The camp was very good. We unfortunately had super harsh weather.
“They had that terrible cold front coming, but it didn’t stop us. The swimmers got some good training in. We did all our testing.
“And I think, as I said, in the pre-camp, it was just such a great time to have team building and time together as a team prior to leaving for Dakar.”
She added:
“So overall, I think it was a great success. I think we got some very good work in and the swimmers came back really inspired.
“I think the key takeaway for the swimmers was actually working with university students and just really watching their work ethic more than anything.
“The training and all that, you know, we are doing similar things in Harare, but it is just watching how committed and dedicated they are.”
Johnsen is expected to represent the country in the women’s 50m freestyle, while Viki is up for the women’s 800m freestyle.
Connor and Nkomazana will compete in the men’s 400m freestyle and men’s 50m butterfly respectively.
Johnsen, Viki and Grist head to Botswana next week for the Africa Aquatics Zone IV Championships scheduled to run from September 2 to 5 in Gaborone, and for them it is more than just a competition.
The three swimmers will have a chance to measure their progress in a competitive environment since they are coming from the winter break.
The Zone IV meet brings together some of the best talent from the Southern Africa region and will provide them the needed competition to see how far they have gone with their preparations.
“So next after South African camp, we are just training very hard.
“Three of them, Lexi, Connor and Daniella are leaving for Botswana on the 31st or the 30th, I think it is, to go and compete in the Zone IV Championships, where we will use that as a warm-up or just to get some race practice in.
“And then it’s just really, really working hard now for the next 70 or so days, whatever it is to Dakar.
“That’s it really,” said Tudor-Cole.
Zimbabwe will also be represented in athletics, cycling, equestrian, judo, rowing and triathlon at the YOG.
