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Andresious Cyprianos

Ngqwele Dube Sports Correspondent
UNITED States-based Zimbabwean swimmer Andresious Cyprianos is taking aim at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and is working on qualifying for the event.

Cyprianos, who is back in the country on a semester break, has been performing well in the North East 10 Conference and has been bettering his time whenever he takes to the pool. The young swimmer has also been doing wonders academically as he managed to make it into the top 100 of Pace University which has over 13,000 students. Cyprianos, who arrived last week and would be going back in September, said tight competition had seen him engaging in intense training.

“The training is more intense and tougher than here and I’ve had to adapt to ensure I remain competitive and I’m also on the path to achieving my goals. For now my main goal is ensuring I make it to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics although I also intend winning more with my college and better my times at every opportunity,” said Cyprianos.

The country’s 100m butterfly record holder said he was now working more on strengthening his body as he focuses on international competitions and is spending more time at the gym.

The former Christian Brothers College pupil won a scholarship to Pace University last year and is studying for an honours degree in Mathematics and Economics. He is in his second year.

Cyprianos has been creating waves in college competitions and recently clinched two silver medals at the high profile NorthEast 10 Conference Championships first round held in February at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in the US.

He took a silver medal in the 100m butterfly finals with a time of 49,61 seconds, which saw him setting a new Pace University record, surpassing the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II qualifying time.

Cyprianos also bagged a silver in the 400m relay medley with a time of 3 minutes 22,73 seconds with his Pace relay team that also included Alexander Dimcevski, Nianzhona Liu and Travis Monahan. In the 200-metre butterfly event, Cyprianos took 5th place in the finals but his time of 1:54.02 was good enough to set a new Pace University record.

“The presence of my parents at the championships really motivated me because when I heard they were coming I put in more hours at training and I’m glad I did well in their presence,” said Cyprianos of his parents’ visit to the States at the time he was taking part in the competition.

Cyprianos started swimming following a near drowning experience at Elephant Hills Hotel in Victoria Falls when he was young.

He was later on persuaded to start club swimming at the age of 10 by then Carmel School swimming coach, Tracy Lezar.

He said at one point he wanted to give up the sport but his father, Edmore didn’t allow him and from there on started progressing well and making his way up the ranks before being ranked first in the country for 100m and 200m butterfly at the age of 16.

Cyprianos first swam for Zimbabwe at the age of 14 when the country took part in the Zone Six games in Swaziland finishing fourth in the 100m butterfly and he went on to collect seven medals, in the three Zone Six games he took part in.