Swimmer Tafatatha gives MOC hope
Netherlands-based swimmer Joyce Tafatatha has excited the Malawi Olympic Committee (MOC) with her exploits at last week’s All Africa Junior Swimming Championships in Lusaka, Zambia. The 15-year-old reached the standard time of qualifying for the 2014 Summer Youth Olympic Games in China.
MOC president Oscar Kanjala said no Malawian in all sports disciplines has ever represented the country at Olympic Games through qualification; hence, they are happy that Tafatatha is making big strides to make history.
“Although I have not received the official report on local swimmers performance in Lusaka, we are excited with her achievements. At least, we now have hope that soon we will have an athlete participating in prestigious international events through qualification,” said Kanjala.
He said since time immemorial, the only feat local athletes managed to achieve was to improve their personal best records some of which remain unbroken for over two decades such as that of former long distance runner George Mambosasa.
At the Lusaka event, 15-year-old Tafatatha finished fifth in the 50-metres backstroke event in 31:25 seconds.
The qualifying time for this distance under B category is 31:42 seconds. She was among the country’s four flag carriers at the event. The others were Tayamika Chang’anamuno, Malaika Da Trindade and Martina Loga.
Tafatatha, who also won an award from the continental swimming overseer, Cana, for her outstanding performance during the 2013 Cana Zone 3 & 4 competitions in Zambia last April, will make it to the China Games through qualification and not on solidarity. That is if she improves her times in other events such as 100-metre backstroke and 50-metre freestyle.
According to the Malawi swimmers team manager Monica Chang’anamuno, Tafatatha is not far from the qualifying times under B category.
She said the world swimming mother body, Fina, has opened the qualification period until June 8 2014 and there is hope that Tafatatha will make the grade.
