Ellina Mhlanga, Zimpapers Sports Hub
AFTER making her debut at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, swimmer Paige van der Westhuizen is hoping for a second consecutive appearance at the world’s largest multi-sport event.
The goal is to qualify for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
With her studies done and back home from Scotland, Van der Westhuizen is working on laying a strong foundation ahead of the qualification period which opens on March 1, 2027 and runs until June 18, 2028.
She is currently working with seasoned coach Lindsy Tudor-Cole.
“I am back training at home with a new coach Lindsy Tudor-Cole. And gym coach is Tafadzwa Demba.
“I am still training as intensely as I did at university and continue with my training routine,” said Van der Westhuizen.
She is one of the beneficiaries of the LA28 Olympic Solidarity Scholarships.
The idea is to train at home and go for more international meets that will give her the needed competition to push her times closer to the set entry standards, and boost her confidence ahead of the qualification period.
“My plan is to continue training in Zimbabwe until the next Olympics and compete a lot more internationally as I am no longer constrained by a university timetable.
“My training is very intense in and out the pool in the gym.
“I am working on getting as close to the qualification times as possible before March, so when the window opens, I am confident and ready for the task at hand.
“I am doing a lot of mental preparation for it alongside the physical as I know it’s a stressful time and want to be fully prepared,” said Van der Westhuizen.
The 23-year-old is scheduled to take part at the World Short Course Championships before the end of this year.
It is one of her key events between now and March.
“I have the World Short Course Championships in Beijing, China this December which is my main focus at the moment for this period before March.”
In Paris she competed in 100m freestyle but as she braces herself to start her qualification campaign for Los Angeles, the goal is to at least make it for more than one event.
“For LA I am focusing on the 100m (freestyle) still but also the 50m freestyle and the 200m. I am hoping to do more than one event at the LA Olympics.
“The times are definitely in reach. This last season I managed to get a few big personal bests to put me in a good position going forward,” added Van der Westhuizen.
Some of Van der Westhuizen’s highlights this year include picking three individual medals at the 2026 Africa Aquatics Championships.
She got a silver in the 100m freestyle and two bronze – in the 50m breaststroke and 200m individual medley.
On her way to claiming bronze in the 50m breaststroke, she set a national record when winning her heat in 33.14 seconds.
She was also part of the team that shattered a 27-year-old national record in the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay when claiming a silver medal in 3 minutes 52.35 seconds at the continental championships.
The previous record was 3 minutes 53.55 seconds.
She recently graced the National Sprint Gala in Mutare, competing on home soil for the first time in five years.
She was up for the 200m individual medley, 100m butterfly, 50m butterfly, 100m freestyle and 50m freestyle.
For Van der Westhuizen, it was a special moment, and she also got to watch the next generation of swimmers in action.
“It was such a special feeling to be competing back at home after five years. I felt quite nostalgic.
“But it was also great to be able to see the next generation of swimmers coming up and hopefully inspire them a little,” said Van der Westhuizen.
Her last competition in Zimbabwe prior to the recently held National Sprint Gala was in 2021.
