Vhenekai Dhemba walks tall in ASC

YOUNG Vhenekai Dhemba is literally carrying Team Zimbabwe on her little shoulders after scooping six of the nine gold medals the country has won so far at the African Swimming Championships Zone IV event in Windhoek, Namibia.

The 12-year-old Dhemba sent a bold message on the opening day of the meet when she scooped her first gold medal in the 50m breaststroke.

She powered to a personal best time of 37.47 seconds ahead of Mozambique’s Rocha Melyssa who came second in 38.79 seconds.

Dhemba bagged her second gold in the 200m freestyle in 2.29.83 minutes ahead of Zambia’s Phiri Jade in 2.31.95 mins and Botswana’s Ditlhogo Amaru in 2.32.19 mins.

Yesterday she also claimed gold in the 100m breaststroke and first place in the 200m breaststroke.

Dhemba touched the wall in 32.77 seconds in the 50m butterfly.

She has also won the country silver and bronze medals in the 50m and 200m backstroke events.

Other Team Zimbabwe gold medalists include double winner, 15-year-old Paige Van der Westhuizen, and Werret Cory (14). Westhuizen romped to victory in the 50m breaststroke event and posted a personal best time of 35.43 seconds in the 200m freestyle.

In winning the latter event, she also set a new championship record time of 2.10.60 mins.