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Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter

ZIMBABWE swimming sensation Donata Katai has failed to make it to the semi-final of the women’s 100m backstroke at the Tokyo Olympic games despite winning her heat on Sunday.

Katai came first in Heat 1 in a personal best time of 1 minute 02.73 seconds.

Here time was, however, not enough to push her through to the semi-finals, as she was placed 34^th in the overall heats.

Only the top 16 progressed to the semi-finals.

Donata Katai

She won her heat ahead of India’s Patel Maana, who came second in 1 minute 05.20 seconds, while Ince Kimberly from Grenada was third in a time of 1:10:24.

The 17-year-old double African junior champion is the first-ever Black Zimbabwean swimmer to compete in the Olympics.

Katai’s teammate Peter Wetzlar is competing in the 100m men’s freestyle.

Katai is the reigning Zimbabwe Junior Sportswoman of the Year and is the current African Junior Championships gold medal holder in both the 50m and 100m backstroke. – @innocentskizoe