LOCALS TRIUMPH WITH PBS IN ANGOLA

MBABANE – They did their best.

This is the story of the  Eswatini swimming team, comprising Hayley Hoy, Damien De Sousa, Simanga Dlamini and Simphiwe Dlamini, who have all  faced a challenging experience at the ongoing 16th Africa Aquatics African Championships, in Angola. During the first day earlier this week, Hayley, Damien and Simphiwe achieved personal bests (PBs) in the 100-metre freestyle category, with Hoy finishing her heat in 1:04 minutes, Simphiwe at 1:02 minutes, Damien at 59:58 seconds and Simanga at 1:12 minutes.

On the second day, however, the competition proved more difficult. Sportswoman of the Year award recipient Hayley Hoy finished in 10th place in the 100-metre butterfly with a time of 1:08 minutes, while Simanga placed 21st in the same category with a time of 1:02 minutes. Eswatini Swimming Association (ESA) Secretary General Nozipho Mahlalela applauded the athletes’ efforts, stating that despite facing unfavourable weather conditions and high water temperatures, each swimmer managed to achieve personal best (PB) times. “We are extremely proud of our athletes’ dedication and the hard work they’ve put into their performances. Despite the challenges they have faced, they have managed to achieve personal bests and represent Eswatini with a solid commitment.

“Although Hayley narrowly missed the finals, being the first reserve is still an accomplishment that should be celebrated. We look forward to seeing her and the rest of our team continue to push themselves and strive for success in the upcoming events.” she said. Mahlalela further revealed that Simanga would be participating in the 5km Open Water event on the final day of the competition today.

Endurance

“As the 16th Africa Aquatics African Championships come to an end, this event offers one last opportunity for Simanga to demonstrate his endurance and skill in the open water. The 5km Open Water event is a challenging and exciting race, with swimmers navigating through open water conditions, relying on their strength, technique, and mental fortitude. Simanga’s participation in this event showcases his versatility as an athlete and his determination to push himself in various aspects of competitive swimming,’ Mahlalela added.

Meanwhile, Angola is the ninth country to host the African Swimming and Open Water Championships, which began in 1974 in Cairo, Egypt. Egypt also hosted the event in 1982 and 2002. Other countries that have hosted the competition include Tunisia (1997, 1990 and 2022), Kenya (1998 and 2012), Morocco (2004 and 2010), South Africa (2008 and 2016), Senegal (2006), Algeria (2018) and Ghana (2021). The 2020 event scheduled for South Africa was cancelled due to COVID-19. South Africa is the most successful country in the African Swimming and Open Water Championships, having won seven titles. They emerged as champions in the last edition of the event held in Tunis, Tunisia.

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