daniel chigunwe
Ellina Mhlanga
Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE Swimming has named three swimmers to compete at the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup this weekend in Budapest, Hungary.
The trio of Paige Van Der Westhuzien, Benjamin Rorke and Liam O’Hara are scheduled to rep-resent the country at the meet that is running from Friday to Sunday.
Zimbabwe Swimming chairperson Zanele Nkomazana said they are pushing for their swimmers to try and attain qualifying standards for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
“The 2023 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup is a series of three three-day meets in three different cities in October, 2023. Budapest, Hungary is the third and final leg after Berlin, Germany and Athens, Greece.
“So these are events that are meant to assist our swimmers to try and get qualifying times for the Olympics. This is part of the events that are qualifiers for the Olympics.
“So these swimmers are going to try Olympic times because remember you can only get them from certain events. So this is an Olympic qualifier and they are swimming as Zimbabwe,” said Nkomazana.
Van Der Westhuizen is scheduled to compete in 50m, 100m and 200 freestyle in the women’s category.
Rorke will be up for 50m and 100m freestyle, 50m breaststroke and 50m backstroke in the men’s category. O’Hara is up for 50m, 100m, and 200m breaststroke, and 200m individual medley.
The three swimmers are working with their coaches at their respective bases. Rorke and O’Hara are training at TUKS in South Africa and Van Der Westhuizen is training at the University of Stirling in Scotland.
“This is an Olympic qualifying event for Paris 2024. Swimmers are training in their bases with their clubs outside the country.
“The South African based swimmers will arrive on the 18th and Paige lands in Budapest on the 19th,” said Nkomazana.
Van Der Westhuzien was part of the team that competed at the World Aquatics Championships that took place in Japan, in July.
She posted a personal best in 200m freestyle and will be hoping to keep improving her time as she returns for another major competition.
Meanwhile Spartans swimming club were crowned champions at this year’s National Sprint Gala held recently in Mutare.
The meet, which is an annual event, brings together clubs from the country’s different provinces.
Spartans from Harare emerged tops when amassing 34 medals — 14 gold medals, 14 silver and 6 bronze. Bulawayo’s Stingrays Swimming Academy were second with 24 medals, followed by Sharks in third place with 16 medals to complete the top three.
Last year’s winners Highlands were placed fifth.
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