Sungura, swimming and sleeping at the wheel

FOR most people born after 1995, the Chitungwiza Aquatic Complex is a venue for musical shows, church services and weddings.

I love Alick Macheso!

I think he is one of Zimbabwe’s greatest artistes ever.

He has turned a genre of music that was looked down upon into a globally recognised art form. His song “Mwari wenyasha” is, for me, one of the greatest compositions of all time.

His skills and longevity are nothing short of remarkable. However, I find it odd that his name is the one that usually pops up when one looks up Chitungwiza Aquatic Complex on the internet.

A young relative recently asked me: “How did it get such a name?”

I took her to the complex and showed her around the venue.

I showed her the Olympic-size swimming pool, which once boasted underwater cameras, electric start pads and electronic scoreboards. I also took her around the place, and as we walked around, she grew quiet.

“How did this get here?” she finally whispered.

I took the opportunity to tell her how the facility was built for the 1995 All-Africa Games, which Zimbabwe hosted.

The continental sporting showcase featured 6 000 athletes from 46 countries, who competed in 18 sports disciplines, including swimming.

Magamba Hockey Stadium in Harare and Khumalo Hockey Stadium in Bulawayo were also purpose-built for these games.

Notably, these were the first games to feature South Africa after it came out of isolation following the fall of apartheid.

They won 64 gold medals, 51 silver medals and 39 bronze. Zimbabwe finished seventh in the medals standings, with six gold, as many silver and 23 bronze.

Team Zimbabwe won 10 medals — six silver and four bronze — at Chitungwiza Aquatic Complex.

Evan Stewart won two gold medals in the diving event. However, it was not held at the venue.

South African swimming legend Penny Heyns took gold in the 100m and 200m breaststroke, setting the tone for her record-breaking outing at the Olympics in Atlanta the following year, where she became the only woman to win both these events at the same Olympics.

A year earlier, she had been swimming in Chitungwiza.

But success always reflects the level of investment in an enterprise.

Zimbabwe continues to produce swimmers on the strength of personal investments, including clubs that have continued to operate and build teams and swimmers.

Swimming can be fun.

It is also a lucrative sporting enterprise that has the potential to open doors for young people to scholarships, international opportunities and a measure of financial success.

All you need is a pool, some dedicated instructors and young people willing to get into the water.

All three were available in 1995. However, someone slept at the wheel thereafter. The pool and smaller practice pools are still intact.

There is no shortage of young people willing to get into the water in Chitungwiza.

There are also instructors who would gladly take time to train young people to get the technique right.

So, who is the visionary who will create what Custom Kachambwa once did with the Eradicators hockey team?

It is time for a visionary with the passion of an Albert Nhamoyebonde, who created magic at Mufakose Tennis Coaching Agency.

The Aquatic Complex cries out for an ambitious plan like the one at Takashinga Sports Club at Highfield’s Zimbabwe Grounds.

If given the right encouragement and the proper training, young people can overcome their own limitations and change their lives.

Sungura swimming should be the next step.

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