Natalia covers 1,500m in 20 minutes at zonal event
Tanzania’s emerging swimmer, Natalia Ladha, in action during the just-ended African Swimming Championships (Cana Zone Four) at Masaki’s International School of Tanganyika in Dar es Salaam. PHOTO| MAJUTO OMARY
What you need to know:
- Natalia, who is just 14 years old, was the only swimmer who managed to compete in the longest distance
Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s up and coming swimmer, Natalia Ladha, has set a new record in the country after completing 1,500 metres (1.5 kilometres) in just 20.01.23 minutes.
This is just like to say that Natalia alias Samaki managed to swim the distance of a 100m football field for 15 times.
Natalia, who is just 14 years old, was the only swimmer who managed to complete such a long distance during the African Swimming Championships (Cana Zone 4) held at the International School of Tanganyika (IST) Masaki swimming pool in Dar es Salaam.
The young Natalia was among the 74 swimmers who represented Tanzania in the contest that featured many top athletes from across the African continent.
Speaking with The Citizen after completing the race, Natalia said that endurance was her main tool that made her complete the 1.5 kilometres while floating.
“I am very happy to complete a 1.5km race in swimming. It is the longest distance and good enough I have managed to reduce my time. I am still struggling to improve it,” said Natalia after the race.
This is the second time for Natalia to complete a 1,500m swimming race after she previously did so on July 15, 2018 in the US, where she recorded 21.31.68 while she was just 10 years old.
Tanzania’s promising swimmer’s entry was 24.00.00 minutes and managed to improve her time for -2.28.32 minutes during the Area 2 Developmental Championships held in Florida, the United States.
The championship saw the Tanzanian swimmer win a gold medal, beating her close challenger, Cameron Corbett, who clocked 23.37.39 in the event. According to Natalia, she is yet to be satisfied with her current swimming time that she wants to improve.
“My target is to record the best time in long distance swimming. I am working on it and I’m sure that I will improve,” said Natalia who swims for the Upanga based swimming club, Bluefins.
She says she is still awaiting the official results of the Cana Zone Four event so that she can exactly know her position in the competition.
