'I have learned useful lessons from Africa Championship' - Ziara

Ziara Forson - Ghana's young swimming sensation has said, the just-ended 7th Africa Zone Two Swimming Championship in Ghana, has exposed her weaknesses in the sport, and she will overcome them ahead of other major events in the future.

"This championship has really exposed me to know where I fell short. I am going to train well to improve on my time and I hope to be ready to face the world soon.

She said, "I would not be complacent despite the improvement in my performance. The championship was a learning stage to test my capabilities. I am still young and the best thing to push Ghana swimming is through training,” Zaira said in an interview with the GNA Sports.

Zaira, who recorded a time of 1:43.04 hours in the women’s 5km Open Water event, and finished second behind Senegal’s Diagne Sophia Catherine, who swam a record time of 1:39.07 hours to win the gold medal.

The 15-year-old Zaira improved her performance and time as she slashed 10 minutes off her previous mark that won her gold over the same distance at the 2018 edition of the same championship in Dakar, Senegal.

She was decorated with 13 medals overall, comprising eight individual medals (including the Women’s 400 metres Individual Medley, 200m Backstroke, 400m Freestyle) and five team medals at the three-day competition at the Bukom International Pool in Accra and the Aqua Safari Resort at Ada.

Ghana grabbed 29 medals after the championships, but could not get an Olympic Qualification. Senegal managed 49 medals to win the event that saw 40 records being broken.

The 7th CANA Zone Two Championship served as qualifiers for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, but Ghana failed to secure a qualification spot for the Games as none of the swimmers made the Olympic qualification time though the team grabbed 29 medals after the championship.