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Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
AT least 400 swimmers from Harare’s clubs are set to meet this weekend at Les Brown Swimming Pool for the Mashonaland Championships as the swimming season continues. The competition runs from Friday to Sunday with six clubs – Spartans, Otters, Sharks, Dorados, Highlands and Pirates – participating. Mashonaland chairperson Mairead Goncalves said they are looking forward to an exciting event with the clubs competing for points.

“It’s our provincial championship this weekend and next weekend. And then again we go to nationals where it’s Mashonaland versus Matabeleland, Manicaland, etcetera but that’s only in February. It’s our first provincial, we have got six registered clubs in Harare and there will probably be about 400 swimmers competing from all ages, from the 10-year-olds right up to 17, 18, 19-year-olds.

‘‘We are hoping for a good weather and a fantastic turnout. But it’s quite highly contested between certain clubs . . . with trophies for points and trophies for aggregates, so it will be a great competition,” said Goncalves.

The competition is also a preparatory event for the national championships next year in Bulawayo and most swimmers are likely to turn up to be considered into the team that will represent the province in February.

Goncalves said they will be on the lookout for new talent.

“They have to swim in this championship this weekend to be considered for the team for nationals so definitely we are on the lookout for new talents and you know who is swimming well,” said Goncalves.

The Mashonaland chairperson, however, lamented the fact that the numbers have been going down, especially at senior level, as some leave the country for university while some pursue other opportunities.

“The quality is still there . . . but definitely our numbers are coming down, we are losing swimmers. What we have got is of great calibre, we have got some fantastic young swimmers.

“They are still new swimmers coming up but we are very short of senior swimmers which I think its exams and everything. But our youngsters, the junior league . . . we have got more swimmers at junior league now than we had probably in the last two or three years, which is fantastic,” said Goncalves.

Unlike last season when Zimbabwe hosted the CANA Zone IV Swimming and Water Polo Championships in Bulawayo, this time around the focus is more on local events since they are not hosting any regional competition.