Byo ready to dominate Nash meet
THE National Association of Secondary School Heads Bulawayo provincial athletics squad leaves tomorrow for the national finals scheduled for Chinhoyi with a send off ceremony set for Northlea High School.
The team, which was selected following inter-district competitions held last week, has set up camp at Northlea since Thursday in preparation for the nationals earmarked for Lomagundi College on Thursday and Friday.
Bulawayo Nash head-in-charge of athletics, Peter Gambiza said he was pleased with the training camp adding that he believes the province can put up an improved performance this year.
“Last year we came sixth and I think we can do better. The athletes are motivated and the coaches are doing a good job preparing them for the finals,” he said.
Gambiza said the send off ceremony would be held at 2pm at Northlea tomorrow UP-AND-COMING swimming sensation, Denilson Cyprianos put up an impressive performance last week at the South African juniors when he broke two national records on his way to qualifying for the South African senior national championships.
Cyprianos joins his brother, Brendon, United Kingdom-based Devyn Leask and Harare based Miguel Umali as the four Zimbabwean swimmers who qualified for the prestigious South African senior nationals that run from 3 to 8 April in Durban.
Denilson clocked one minute 03.51 seconds in the 100m backstroke to eclipse both the Matabeleland and national record set by Brendon McDonald (1.04.02) in 1995 and Peter Wetzlar (1.03.66) in 2012.
The 14-year-old Christian Brothers College pupil also set a new record in the before the athletes depart for Chinhoyi.
Head coach, Beke Ncube said training is progressing as planned with athletes taking to the field twice a day since they arrived in camp on Thursday.
“We had an overwhelming response from the athletes in our call to attend the training camp and we have 140 athletes at Northlea with only one outstanding.
“As coaches we are doing our best to ensure the athletes are in the right frame as we head for Chinhoyi.
“We hope this will show with good results,” he said.
Some of the athletes expected to bring back gold medals include Townsend High athletics sensation, Yvonne Vanhuvaone in the 400m race, long jumper, Brian Ndlovu who jumped more than 200cm at the district competition and 195cm at the inter-district event, 200m and 400m runner, Ronald Muchichwa, under 800m and 1500m specialist, Tatenda Ndlovu and jumper, Jennifer Tembo, who has acquitted herself well in triple, long and high jump.
4 Zim swimmers qualify for SA senior champs
200m backstroke when he finished the race in two minutes 16.38 seconds bettering McDonald’s two minutes 17.60 seconds which stood at the Matabeleland and national record.
Proving to be a backstroke specialist, Denilson made a Matabeleland record in the 50m backstroke reaching the finish line in 30.28 seconds. The previous record of 31.46 seconds had been set by McDonald.
Harare-based swimmer, Donata Katai was in good form at the SA juniors clinching gold in the 50m butterfly in a time of 30.29 seconds and also came back with a bronze medal in the 50m backstroke.
Liam Davies got silver in the 200m breaststroke in a time of two minutes 23.19 seconds as he became the second Zimbabwean swimmer to clinch a medal at the SA junior championships. The local swimmers will come up against the best in South Africa and they will have to be at their best to come up with any medals.