The ManicaPost
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
SWIMMING, just like any other sport has suffered a major setback due to the lengthy layoff induced by the Covid-19 pandemic in the past two years, but things have also not been rosy for the sport in Manicaland, given the dilapidated public facilities in different towns, let alone the absence of community clubs.
The absence of qualified coaches as well as life savers has worsened the situation.
In Mutare, one public swimming pool – Mutare Main Bath – is functional, while the other one located in Sakubva is undergoing renovations.
Mutare City Council spokesperson, Spren Mutiwi said: “We only have the Main Bath Swimming Pool in good working condition. The other public pool in Sakubva is undergoing renovations.”
Border Dolpins is the only club operating in the post Covid-19 era apart from selected schools such as Hillcrest College which has functional pools for their learners.
In Chipinge, there is no longer any swimming pool to talk about after the two facilities in the small farming town are now rundown.
Chipinge Town Council chairman, Lovemore Mutimwi Mkwapati said: “We no longer have a public swimming pool in the whole of Chipinge. The two we had in the past are no longer working. There is nothing in place to renovate the two facilities.”
In Chipinge, Gaza public swimming pool changing rooms are now being used as tuck-shops.
In Rusape, the only public swimming pool in the town is undergoing renovations after years of neglect.
Rusape Town Council secretary, Fanisen Shuwa said: “We only have one public swimming pool and it is not working. It is undergoing renovations and we should finish that task anytime soon.”
A number of years before the onset of Covid-19, swimming had been on a developmental trajectory, but sheer neglect of public pools means prospective swimmers have nowhere to hone their skills.
Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) Manicaland provincial coordinator, Shupikai Berejena said: “We are relying mostly on Border Dolphins and Hillcrest in terms of clubs that are nurturing swimming talent. We do not have many clubs and this has affected the sport. We also had cases of drowning that also affected the sport since Mutare Main Bath Swimming Pool was temporarily barred from hosting swimming activities.
“Way back, we used to have swimmers from Chipinge, but this has since stopped. In Chipinge, there was a lady who used to support the game, but this is now history.
“Sakubva Swimming Pool is also not working. In Chimanimani, little is happening there.”
Berejena said Arts, Sports and Culture Minister, Kirsty Coventry initiated a swimming developmental programme, but there has not been enthusiasm in recent months on the part of the intended beneficiaries.
“Most council schools benefited from a programme that was initiated by Minister Coventry and would take turns to use public swimming pools. The main hindrance we faced along the way was shortage of coaches and life savers,” said Berejena.
Anne White, a Gala Convenor and Swimming coach at Border Dolphin said: “There is a lot of interest in swimming in Manicaland as many parents want to enrol their children in Learn to Swim classes with Border Dolphins.
“We have seen a drop in enrolment for competitive swimming as this requires a lot of time, commitment and is an expense on the part of both the swimmers and parents.
“Because of Covid-19, many schools did not have sporting activities or meets between schools until recently.
“There is a lot of talent at both private and Government schools which is going to waste due to lack of swimming coaches and funds to maintain the swimming facilities.
“If we are now able to resume sporting activities in schools and public facilities, we hope to see an improvement in the numbers in Manicaland,” she said.
Interestingly, for a country that views football as the be-all-and-end-all of sport, swimming is one of the only two sporting genres that have earned the country medals at Olympics level.
Zimbabwean athletes have won a total of eight medals – three gold, four silver and one bronze – in two sports.
Seven medals were won by swimmer, Kirsty Coventry in 2004 and 2008, while the remaining medal was won by the women’s national hockey team in 1980.
Zimbabwe participated for the first time at the Olympic Games under its current name in 1980, and has sent athletes to compete in every Summer Olympic Games since then.
Previously, it competed at the Games under the name Rhodesia in 1928, 1960 and 1964.
The 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi marked Zimbabwe’s first participation at the Winter Olympic Games, with Luke Steyn, a Zimbabwean-born athlete participating in alpine skiing.
