Dhemba sets the bar high
YOUNG swimmer Vhenekai Dhemba was the toast of the Zimbabwe team at the just-ended Africa Swimming Championships in Namibia.
She became the first Zimbabwean junior swimmer to win 11 medals in a single event.
The four- day met event, which attracted 14 countries, saw the 12-year old Dhemba take it by storm by winning nine gold, one silver and one bronze medal. She took part in 13 individual events. She only came in fifth position once in the 100m backstroke final.
With Zimbabwe team scooping 13 gold medals, nine of them were won by Dhemba.
She was crowned the Under-12 girls overall aggregate winner of the event.
“Since it was my first time to participate at the tournament, I was little scared since l didn’t know how other swimmers from different countries would perform.
“But, because I was training hard every day, working up every day around 5am before l would go to school so that I could train, I was confident I could make it.''
Team Zimbabwe manager, Tracy Doorman, believes Dhemba will go places.
“We are happy and pleased with our Zimbabwe team performance at the tournament in Namibia,'' she said.
''We had a lot of first-timers in the team and they performed over and above our expectations, especially our girls and we are extremely proud of them, in particular Vhenekai Dhemba, for winning so many medals for the team. “She had a very good performance.'' Zimbabwe were also crowned water polo champions.
Zimbabwe water polo chairman Crag Kesson is confident of the future.
“We are happy with our girls overall performance at the event and for being crowned the 2019 water polo champions.
“We played in a three-game series and we won 2 and lost one against South Africa’s team.”
Team Zimbabwe also won the Sprit Cup given to the team which would have shown the best support for their swimmers.