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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter 

TEAM Zimbabwe is confident of a medal haul at the five-day Zone VI Swimming Championships that start tomorrow in Gaborone, Botswana.

Multi-record holders Donata Kata and Denilson Cyprianos lead a 35-member team that will compete at the premier regional competition.

The Zimbabwe delegation left Bulawayo by road yesterday morning and was expected to arrive in Gaborone yesterday afternoon. 

Twelve countries, Comoros, Lesotho, Eswatini, Madagascar, South Africa, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, Zambia and hosts Botswana will have their best swimmers racing for honours.

Besides Cyprianos, Kata and Paige van der Westhuizen, who represented Zimbabwe at the FINA World Junior Championships held last August in Budapest, Hungary, some of the country’s representatives include Correy Werret, Quinton Tayali, Nomvula Mjimba and Riana Rollo.

Nokuthla Cyprianos, the team manager is confident the team will excel in Gaborone.

“This is one of the premier events for our swimmers, who will be aiming to post good times and bring home medals. Our swimmers trained hard and this is a strong team for Zimbabwe. We are looking forward to a great display, personal bests and, hopefully, medal-winning performances,” said Cyprianos.

The team had a send-off dinner at a Bulawayo hotel on Monday night where they were presented with their kit by companies, which included Simbisa Brands through their Chicken Inn brand, Cypriano Electricals and National Foods. 

Zim’s CANA Zone IV squad

Girls 11/12: Tori Dawe, Peyton Wishart, Mikayla Makwavarara, Loyiso Mahobele

Boys 11/12: Limbikani Kalipengule, Khaya Vimba, Sean Reilly, Kyle Heyns, Patrick Duff

Girls 13/14: Timea Schultz, Mkhuseli Mahobele, Vhenekai Dhemba, Kiara Goodinson, Saira Ramajan

Boys 13/14: Bjorn Mhlanga, Tichatonga Makaya, Tawanda Chisungo, Onesimus Ngwenya

Girls 15/16: Paige van der Westhuizen, Riana Rollo, Nyasha Chinyani

Boys 15/16: Cory Werrett, Callum Morgan, Jasper Mpofu, Jake Oostindien, Nathan Ngwenya

Girls 17 and Over: Nomvula Mjimba, Siobhan Jones, Gemma Schonken, Courtney Brown

Boys 17 and Over: Denilson Cyprianos, Quintin Tayali, Joash McKonie, Brett Jones, Tait Mills. – @ZililoR