Luanda - Angola ended their participation in 2022 CANA Zone IV Swimming Championship Sunday at 90 Days Legacy Swimming Pool in Lusaka, Zambia, with nine medals, both in men and women classes.
The national team scooped two gold, three silver and four bronze medals, two more compared to 2020 edition, held in Gaborone (Botswana).
The two gold medals were taken by N'hara Fernandes in the 50 meters breaststroke, with a time of 36:14 and Maria Freitas (2: 14.97), in the 200 meters freestyle.
Silver was snatched by Marco Furtado, in the 100-metre butterfly (1:12.36), and Rhanya Santo, two-time Zone IV runner-up, in the 200-metre freestyle and backstroke, with records of (2:31.71 and 1:53.85), respectively.
Marco also obtained a bronze medal, timing the 50 m butterfly, in 30 seconds and 64 tenths.
The other two medals were obtained by Maria Freitas, in the 100 meters freestyle, with a time of 1: 1.59, and in the 200 meters style, where she timed (2: 35.55).
The other bronze came in the 4x100m freestyle relay, with Rafaela Santo, Maria Freitas, Jasmine Lourenço and N'hara Fernandes, who clocked 4:19.76.
Angola rank 12 in the general medal table, as well as in eighth position in the points classification.
The national team, reduced from 18 to 17 swimmers, after the forced departure of Filipe Freitas from the competition lists, due to injury, recorded three new records, the first being set by Rhanya Santo, in the 800 meters freestyle, with a time of 11 minutes, 30 seconds and 90 tenths. The previous one (12:04.79) belonged to Welwitschia Silva, since 2019.
Likewise, N'hara Fernandes, with the record (36.14) in the 50 breaststroke, broke the previous junior record of (36.20), broken by Maria Cipcic, in 2016.
In turn, Maria Freitas, with a mark of (35.09) in the 50-meter breaststroke, surpassed the absolute senior record of (35.41) achieved by Maria Cipcic, in 2013, also in Zambia.
Host Zambia were the defending champions, with a total of 39 gold, 18 silver and 20 bronze, dethroning 2020 trophy holders Zimbabwe in Gaborone, Botswana.
Mozambique are second in Zone IV, with 29 gold, 32 silver and 21 bronze, while the Zimbabweans fell two places on the podium, securing third place, with 20 gold, 32 silver and 21 bronze medals.
Malawi, with two gold and two bronze medals, comes in 13th position, unlike Lesotho who won no medals.
The next edition of the Zone IV African Swimming Championships will take place in South Africa in 2023.
