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Brandon Moyo, Sports Reporter
BULAWAYO Amateur Swimming Association (BASA) swimmers posted excellent results at the just ended 2023 South Africa Regional Level 3 Championships which concluded at KwaZulu-Natal’s King Park Swimming Pool in Durban on Monday.
Swimmers such as Senamile Mphoko, Mbalenhle Jared, JWes Jared, Nathan Chibva, Nozintaba Masiye-Moyo and Siqokoqela Mphoko II were some of the star attractions in the championship. Senamile Mphoko had two gold medals while Mbalenhle Jared was the most decorated local swimmer, with a six-medal haul. The young swimmers left South Africa yesterday as they made their way back home after impressive competition in the pool.
Mbalenhle Jared and Senamile Mphoko
“Mama our heroes are coming back home. We are very proud of you guys,” BASA captioned a video of the swimmers on their Facebook.
Siqokoqela Mphoko II with one of his medals
Senamile Mphoko’s two gold medals came from the 200-metre individual medley event where she dropped her time from 2.57.98 to 2.48.51 to secure the top prize. The other gold came in the 100-metre butterfly where she moved from a time of 1.20.77 to 1.18.07. Her brother, Siqokoqela II managed to win four medals in the Under-12s. His bronze medals came in the 400-metre freestyle, 100-metre freestyle, 200-metre medley and the 100-metre butterfly.
Senamile Mphoko
Mbalenhle Jared, who won the team’s most medals competed in 10 events and managed to make a podium finish in six of them, of which five were silver and one bronze in the girls’ Under-12 events. Her silver medals were from the 200-metre backstroke, 100-metre breaststroke, 50-metre freestyle, 50-metre breaststroke and 100-metre butterfly. The only bronze that she got was from the 50-metre butterfly. Her twin brother, JWes Jared managed to take home two medals, one gold and one silver.
Nozintaba Masiye-Moyo far right
JWes Jared’s gold medal came from the 200-metre backstroke while the silver was from the 100-metre backstroke. On Sunday, Chibva managed to get a silver medal in the 50-metre breaststroke and set a new time of 35.14 from 37.24 while Ryan Mugota finished third in the same event for bronze from a time of 36.32 to 35.6. Masiye-Moyo picked up a silver medal on the day in the 200-metre individual medley event where she finished her race in a time of 2:44.75 from 2.47.19. She also won another silver medal in the 400-metre freestyle.
Another medal for Chibva came in the 100-metre breaststroke where he won silver after a new personal best time of 1.19.67 from 1.21.83. Vuyo Ndlovu scooped a bronze medal in the 100-metre butterfly at a time of 1.06.81 from a previous time of 1.05.56.
Nathan Chibva middle
Meanwhile, Harare Amateur Swimming also took part in the 2023 South African Regional Age Group Championships in Durban as well. A total of 28 swimmers took part and managed to win 58 medals.
There were 16 gold medals, 22 silver and 20 bronze as they finished as the second best team.— @brandon_malvin
Online Reporter