Asimenye Simwaka finishes second in preliminary round 100m heat to qualify for first round of Olympic Games Paris 2024

* Malawi’s other representatives at the Paris Olympics are swimmers Tayamika Chang’anamuno and Filipe Gomes

* Gomes did not qualify for the next round of the men’s 50m freestyle after finishing 8th in heat 5 with a time of 24.11

* Chang’anamuno’s debut in 50m freestyle will be tomorrow to be beamed live on GOtv and DStv

Maravi Express

Malawi’s up-and-coming short distance athlete, Asimenye Simwaka has made it to the first round of the 100m title campaign at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 after finishing second in preliminary round heat 4 today.

She finished in a time of 11.78secs behind Zahria Allers-Liburd of Saint Kits whose time was 11.73 while Mariandree Chacon of Guatemala came in third position in 11.90.

Malawi’s other representatives at the Paris Olympics are swimmers Tayamika Chang’anamuno and Filipe Gomes, who did not qualify for the next round of the men’s 50m freestyle after finishing 8th in heat 5 with a time of 24.11

Gomes was the first Malawian athlete to compete in this year’s Olympic Games, followed by Asimenye, while Chang’anamuno’s debut in 50m freestyle will be tomorrow to be beamed live on GOtv and DStv.

Chang’anamuno will also be swimming the 100m freestyle. The 24-year-old stands at a height of 175cm with a weight of 62.5kg, was on a  training camp in Budapest, Hungary, under the prestigious World Aquatics Hungaricum Stipendium Program, and she has made remarkable strides in her swimming career.

She has competed in seven World Championships and holds several international medals from competitions in Zambia, Florida, USA and Hungary.

Tayamika is also a national record holder, showcasing her exceptional talent and dedication to the sport.

Her journey in swimming began at the tender age of five when she learned to swim at Africa Bible College (ABC), which boasted of an excellent swim program — thus her love for the water was evident from the start.

By the age of nine, she was competing in her first nationals and her talent and hard work paid off as she made the national team at just 13 years old.

Despite being young in the competitive swimming scene, Tayamika was inspired and encouraged by older swimmers. Exposure to various competitions and athletes from other countries fueled her dream of competing on the grand stage of the Olympics.

Watching sporting events on TV, she envisioned herself as one of the athletes representing her country.

Ahead of her Olympic experience, Tayamika has expressed sheer excitement at representing and in an interview with Malawi News Agency (MANA), she described the opportunity as a profound honor and a culmination of years of dedication and resilience.

“I am excited to be competing in the Paris Olympics this summer, it’s always been my dream goal since I was a young athlete and over the years, I’ve remained dedicated and resilient and it’s finally paid off,” she said.

She emphasized her focus on training, anticipating intensified workouts with her dedicated team of coaches, saying: “I’m surrounded by the best coaches and team so I’m confident that I’ll be ready to compete at such a high level.”

“During the Games, I hope to break my personal best times as well as to break the national record on 50m freestyle. My training regimen has intensified to include more endurance and power sets, with speed workouts intensifying as we approach the competition,” she said.