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Ellina Mhlanga
Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE’S swimmers gave a good account of themselves at the African Union Sports Council Region Five Youth Games after they claimed 26 medals in Maseru, Lesotho.
The Zimbabwean swimmers picked seven medals on Monday. They then amassed more medals between Tuesday and yesterday to make them 26, to wrap up their participation on a high note.
In the women’s competition on Tuesday, Donata Katai was on fire, picking up three gold medals in 100m backstroke, 50m backstroke and 100m butterfly. Yesterday she weighed in with another gold in the 200m backstroke event.
Tanatsirwa Chitsurura also had good day when picking bronze in 100m freestyle and a silver in 400m freestyle on Tuesday. Paige van der Westhuizen got a silver medal in the 100m freestyle on Tuesday and bronze in the 50m freestyle yesterday while Timea Schultz got two bronze medals in the 200m individual medley and 200m backstroke events.
Chinyere Mgbemena picked silver in 100m breaststroke and bronze in 200m breaststroke while Riana Rollo walked away with bronze in 100m backstroke.
In the men’s competition, Jake Oostindien got bronze in 50m breaststroke.
In the relays, the 4x100m freestyle mixed relay team made up of Ryan Franceys, Chitsurura, van der Westhuizen and Jake Oostindien settled for bronze.
The men’s 4x100m medley relay team consisting of Jasper Mpofu, Jake Oostindien, Franceys and Dylan Lee won silver and in the women’s 4x50m freestyle Zimbabwe won silver.
The team was made up of Chitsurura, Schultz, Rollo and van der Westhuizen.
Swimming is likely to remain the major contributors to Zimbabwe’s medal tally considering the number of events for the other sport codes at the Games.
Commenting on the team’s performance on Tuesday, Zimbabwe Swimming chairperson, Tracey Doorman, hailed the team for the good effort under the circumstances.
“We are obviously very excited and pleased with the medal winning performances. But also of the team in general, given the hectic nature of the amended programme which leaves little time for recovery before the next session,” said Doorman.
And the swimmers just proved their capabilities to finish on a high in what has been a fruitful competition for the team and a job well done as they raised the country’s flag at the Regional Games.
In total, Zimbabwe had 30 medals by yesterday afternoon with the other medals coming from tennis, taekwondo and boxing.
The first medal was won by gymnast Misheck Mbele on Saturday.
On Tuesday, boxer Wisdom Dube got a bronze medal in the featherweight category.
In tennis, the boys’ doubles team of Benedict Badza and Lyle Zaloumis settled for silver yesterday after they went down to their South African opponents.
Taekwondo also picked it first medal, a bronze, through Tinotenda Kufandirori in the Under-55kg weight division.
The athletics team made up of 11 athletes joined the rest of Team Zimbabwe in Lesotho on Monday ahead of the competition that begins today.
Some of the athletics events lined up for today include 100m male and female heats as well as 800m heats, 400m hurdles heats and the 4x400m relay final.
Athletics competition is running until Saturday.
Online Reporter