Van As ends season on high with five medals in Algeria

FOR Anje Van As, the past season has been a valuable learning experience as she continues to grow into one of Zimbabwe’s most promising young swimmers.

Van As is already being tipped as a potential contender for qualification to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

With the qualification window for the 2028 Olympics yet to open, she has been focusing on building a strong foundation for the years ahead.

She is, however, pleased to have ended her season on a high note after winning five individual medals at the Africa Aquatics Senior and Junior Championships held earlier this month in Oran, Algeria.

Competing at senior level for the first time at the continental event, Van As made an immediate impact, winning gold medals in both the 200m and 100m butterfly events.

She also secured silver medals in the 200m freestyle and 200m individual medley, along with a bronze in the 50m butterfly.

The championships stand out as one of the major highlights of her season.

Speaking to Zimpapers Sports Hub, Van As expressed satisfaction with her overall performance.

“This past season has been busy with lots of racing, so I was glad to finish off the season on a good note. The 200m fly race is always tough but so rewarding, and I was so excited to be able to hold the standard of last year’s 200m fly race. The 100m fly was a battle, swimming with such strong women, so I was really glad to be able to win the 100m fly as well,” said Van As.

Her success in the 200m butterfly continues a strong record in the event. She had previously won gold in the same race at the 16th Africa Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships in Cairo, Egypt.

In Algeria, she repeated that achievement — this time at senior level. Van As also set a new national record in the 50m butterfly after clocking 27.66 seconds to take bronze. She was part of the 4x100m freestyle relay team that won silver while also breaking a 27-year-old national record, posting a time of 3 minutes 52.35 seconds. The team included Mikayla Makwabarara, Alexis Johnsen and Paige Van Der Westhuizen.

“Breaking the 50m fly record was an amazing feeling as I had been chasing that time for a while now, so to get it on the last gala of the season felt so rewarding. I am really happy with my performance at my first senior level Africa Championships gala. These performances have shown me that I am a step in the right direction towards qualifying for LA2028.”

Van As is currently based in South Africa, where she trains with the Tuks Swimming Club while pursuing her studies at the University of Pretoria.

She is also a recipient of the Olympic Solidarity Scholarship, which supports athletes preparing for and aiming to qualify for the Olympic Games.

“This gala has taught me a lot and just this year in general has been a big learning curve, so I am excited to see how the rest of the year goes. Definitely to trust the process and not just focus on the outcome. It has been a big change since coming here and starting a new chapter and I am so grateful to my support system here and back home for helping me through it all.”

Van As said the season has helped her grow both in and out of the pool, with her new environment playing a key role in her development.

“Where I am based now has definitely made a big impact on my swimming, being surrounded with like-minded people to work hard, which helps me to enjoy the journey and not just focus on the results.

“I am hoping to get in a good training block and swim some short-course galas in preparation for the end of the year and to come and visit back home again. We are training towards qualifying for South Africa short course galas through the local galas,” Van As said.

Her next major competition is the South Africa Short Course Championships, set to take place in the coming months.