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Ellina Mhlanga

Senior Sports Reporter

ZIMBABWE Swimming chair Zanele Nkomazana says they have begun working towards the forthcoming 16th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) to be staged in Melbourne, Australia, in December.

The championships are due to take place from December 13 to 18.

The Zimbabwe Aquatic Union announced a four-member team made up of UK-based Liam Davis, Donata Katai, South Africa-based Liam O’Hara and Nomvula Mjimba, who is based in the United States, for the championships.

Katai, Mjimba and Davis represented the country at the 19th FINA World Championships in Hungary in June.

“Nomvula and O’Hara attended a short course which was in South Africa, which was a preparation gala for this one. So we expect them to improve from what we saw in South Africa. They did very well in South Africa, both of them.

“So Donata had an injury . . . so we are hoping she will recover. Actually she is going to swim Region Five before this gala. So we are hoping that she swims Region Five and jumps into Australia.

“And then Davis has been working hard. The most senior swimmer we have in the land, so he did Hungary as well and did Spanish Championships recently. So we expect him to deliver good results.

“I think we have the most experienced, most senior swimmers in that team. It’s going to be interesting,” said Nkomazana.

They will be led by coach Masi Takaedza.

Mjimba is expected to compete in 50m and 100m freestyle while Katai will be up for 50m and 100m backstroke.

Davis will be competing in the 200m breaststroke and O’Hara is set to swim 100m breaststroke and 200m individual medley.

Nkomazana said although they now have a team in place they are still running around for funding.

“But obviously the challenge is financial. The tour is very expensive, going to Australia the flights tickets are expensive. So we are still running around, appealing, looking for sponsorship and funding,” said Nkomazana.

Katai and Mjimba received the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Olympic Solidarity Paris 2024 Scholarships.

Taking part at this level will give them the chance to compete with the world’s best and get the much-needed international exposure and experience as they seek to make the team for the 2024 Olympic Games.

Nkomazana, who is also the team manager, said they are working with the swimmers’ respective coaches to monitor their training.

Zimbabwe Swimming are also finalising the selection of the African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region Five Youth Games team that will be submitted to Team Zimbabwe management.

They are expected to pick a team of 40 swimmers — 20 boys and an equal number for the girls.

Nkomazana said they are going to include some of their upcoming swimmers so that they get exposure at the Regional Games.

“We are going to include a developmental squad, youngsters to go and learn and hopefully in the next Region Five they would have the experience of this gala. So we are including a few juniors. This year we are doing it differently.

“So those are the two galas we are working on now until December. And then after that we work on our South African galas and CANA in March, April, May thereabout,” Nkomazana said.

The AUSC Region Five Youth Games are scheduled for December in Malawi.

ZAU president, Onismo Nhondova, said they are looking at various programmes to improve competition for their swimmers while also capitalising on those based outside the country for better results.

He pointed out that lack of facilities is a setback in their efforts.