Promising start for Malawi swimmers
The Malawi swimming national team had a promising start at the opening of the Cana Zone III and IV Swimming Championship at Olympic Youth Development Centre, Copperbelt, Zambia on Saturday.
Malawi Acquatic Union (MAU) president Dean Pinto confirmed that the 25-member team, coached by Yona Walesi, had collected some medals at the African Swimming Confederation.
“Swimming has started on a positive note with 40 races 10 medals (three gold , three silver and four bronze) done Malawi on position four,” Pinto said in a brief e-mailed update from Zambia.
On its website, Saturday’s The Post newspaper of Zambia confirmed Malawi’s exploits.
“In the men’s Under-14, 800-metre freestyle category, Zambia’s Ross McDonald and Ryan Bouverie were 11th and 15th respectively and the gold medal was won by Malawi’s Tom Donker. Silver and bronze went to Marco Aurel and Liam Davis of Kenya and Zimbabwe respectively,” reads the paper’s website.
Malawi team comprises Holland-based swimmer Joyce Tafatatha, Thomas Ngoga, Brave Lifa, Ammara Pinto, Kaitlin Harthoorn, Tom Donker competing in different age groups from Under-14, Under-16, Under-18 and open age.
The Cana games that ended on Sunday were in progress as we went to press.
By press time, Zambia had won two gold, three silver and three bronze, with the swimmers expected to compete in the afternoon session.
Speaking during the official opening of the swimming gala, Zambia’s Sports Minister Chishimba Kambwili is quoted as promising the Zambian Amateur Swimming Union another state-of-the-art swimming pool in the Copperbelt.
