admin
Ellina Mhlanga–Senior Sports Reporter
SWIMMERS Denilson Cyprianos and Paige Van der Westhuizen have become the latest athletes to join Team Zimbabwe for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games after receiving universality slots from World Aquatics.
The Paris 2024 Olympic Games will be officially opened on July 26 and run until August 11.
The addition of the duo takes the number of athletes for Team Zimbabwe to seven.
They join marathon runners Isaac Mpofu and Rutendo Nyahora, Tapiwanashe Makarawu and Makanakaishe Charamba (both sprinters), and rower Stephen Cox for the upcoming Games.
The other swimmers who were on the shortlist for the slots were Donata Katai and Liam Davis.
However, Cyprianos and Van der Westhuizen were awarded the slots as they were the highest ranked according to the World Aquatics Points Table (2024 edition) achieved by June 23, 2024.
Cyprianos will compete in 200m backstroke men and Van der Westhuizen will represent the country in 100m freestyle in the women’s section.
Team Zimbabwe chef de mission for the Games, Ringisai Mapondera said they were excited to have the two swimmers as part of Team Zimbabwe.
“We are very happy about their inclusion. Swimming for Zimbabwe is one of the strongest sports in as much as it is underrated . . . So, in my view, the continued inclusion of swimming in the Olympics is a very welcome development for us as the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee.
“And historically, the Honourable Minister (Kirsty Coventry) holds the most medals from swimming.
“So, I believe that we need to continue this inclusion of swimming in Team Zimbabwe for Paris, for the Olympic Games that is.”
Cyprianos and Van der Westhuizen represented the county at the African Games, in Accra, Ghana and the former got a gold medal in the men’s 200m backstroke and a silver in the 100m backstroke.
Van der Westhuizen was part of the 4x100m women’s freestyle relay team that got a bronze medal at the continental Games.
With just three weeks before the Games get underway, Mapondera said they are hoping the swimmers can build on the work put in during the qualification phase, which closed last month for swimming.
For the athletes that qualified early such as marathon runner Mpofu and rower Cox, they have been preparing for the Games for some time now.
“Most of them (the athletes) have been preparing in various competitions. Some have been assisted to go to train in various countries.
“But for swimming, they had competitions recently . . . So, we are also hoping that will aid in their preparation for the Games.
“In terms of going there (to the competitions), some did get assistance from the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee in terms of airfare travel.
“We have been supporting the teams . . . For now, there are no more qualifying competitions for the Olympics,” said Mapondera.
ZOC are expected to officially announce the team to represent the country at the Olympics next week.
They may get two more athletes in athletics and golf.
Online Reporter