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Ellina Mhlanga in PARIS, France
Swimming coach Masi Takaedza says they are hoping for their representatives at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games to improve their times when they take to the pool.
Paige van der Westhuizen and Denilson Cyprianos are the two swimmers carrying the country’s hopes in swimming at the Games, competing in the women’s 100m freestyle and men’s 200m backstroke respectively.
They are participating in the Games for the first time after receiving universality slots from World Aquatics.
Paige Van der Westhuizen will be Zimbabwe’s first swimmer in competition when she swims the women’s 100m freestyle today at the Par-is La Defence Arena.
Cyprianos will compete in the men’s 200m backstroke tomorrow morning.
“The expectation going into these Olympic Games was just that the swimmers do well and improve their personal best.
“That’s what we want, we want them to go faster, so that’s what we are looking forward to. Anything extra will be a bonus really, what we want is just for them to be fast.”
“It is important for us to have swimming at this competition because it continues to raise our profile as swimming in Zimbabwe.
“We continue with the work that Dr. Kirsty Coventry did, I mean she put swimming right up as one of the top sports in Zimbabwe.
“So we would like to maintain that, so its important that we continue fielding swimmers at this level of competition,” said Takaedza.
Takaedza added that they are looking into the future, with a focus on building for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
“It is important for Paige and Denilson to be competing at this level and measure themselves against the best in the world in preparation for 2028.
“They are young and the main goal is to see what they will do in 2028.
“Hopefully they get to do well and improve their times and just measure to see where the Zimbabwe swimming programme is,” Takaedza said.
Both swimmers competed at the African Games, where Van der Westhuizen got bronze in the women’s 4x100m free-style.
Cyprianos is a gold medallist in the men’s 200m backstroke from the African Games.
He also picked a silver in the 100m backstroke.
“Ghana was a good preparation for our swimmers. They went and competed, different environment to what they are used to, different competition, so it was a good springboard for them to prepare for the Games,” said Takaedza.
Van der Westhuizen is excited to be part of the Games.
“It’s an amazing feeling being here in Paris and able to represent Zimbabwe. It’s been a dream of mine since I was little so it was a relief to qualify and be able to be here.
“The experience has been amazing. The village is more than I expected and the opening ceremony was so much fun. It is a bit overwhelming at times but ultimately I’ve enjoyed it a lot.
“I am very nervous to be competing for the first time. But I am confident in the preparation I have done and hopefully, it will show in the pool tomorrow.”
For her, the goal is to get a personal best,
“My overall goal tomorrow is to get a personal best as this shows I am building towards bigger things in the future.
“I am close to the Zimbabwe national record so that will be a bonus and to hopefully come out top 20 in the world.
“As I am still young and this is my first Olympics I am just trying to enjoy the experience and work towards LA 2028 where I will hopefully be a medal or final position,” said Van der Westhuizen.
Her current personal best is 57.34 seconds.
Online Reporter