Teenage swimming sensation Donata Katai was the star of the show as Team Zimbabwe took its medal haul to 17 medals after scooping 11 medals on day five at the ongoing African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region 5 Youth Games in Maseru, Lesotho, on Tuesday.
The 17-year-old Katai came into these games after gracing the Olympics in Japan and she has been living up to her billing after grabbing three gold medals this Tuesday in the 50m and 100m backstroke as well as the 100m butterfly.
She was well supported by her teammates after they collected a further 10 medals from the pool, five bronze and five silver medals.
Paige van der Westhuizen and Mgbemena Chinyerere bagged silver medals in the 100m freestyle and 50m breaststroke, respectively, while Tanatsirwa Chitsurura scooped the same medals in the 400m freestyle and 200m breaststroke events.
Bronze medals were delivered by Tanatsirwa in 100m freestyle, Oostindien Jake in 100m breaststroke, Riana Rollo in 100m backstroke and Schultz Timea in 50m backstroke.
Another bronze came from the 4x100m medley relay team of Jasper Mpofu, Jake, Franceys Ryan and Dylan Lee.
Swimming team manager Sharon Chitsurura wasn’t confident at first with her team, considering that the participants did not have enough competition and time for preparations.
The swimming competitions will end this Wednesday with Katai aiming for one more gold medal to take her individual tally to five.
Zimbabwe now has 21 medals ahead of the Athletics track and field competitions which get underway this Wednesday.
Gymnastics became the first sport to register a bronze medal at the event through Misheck Mbele.