Team Malawi endured a bad start to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games after swimmer Filipe Miguel Gomes finished on position 49 out of 74 participants at Paris Defense Arena in France Thursday.
Gomes, who competed in 50 metres freestyle, finished the distance in 24:11, failing to match his seed time of 23:99, which earned him a slot at the Olympics.
The 27-year-old swimmer was in heat five and lane eight.
Team Malawi chef de mission Naomi Chinatu said it was a tough start for the delegation but hoped for the best from the remaining duo.
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“It was a tough competition. Unfortunately, Gomes failed to qualify for the next round. Actually, he has added time instead of reducing it.
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“All is not lost because we still have two athletes who can perform better,” Chinatu, who is also Malawi Olympic Committee (Moc) Director, said.
Chinatu said the attention had now shifted to short distance athlete Asimenye Simwaka, who is expected to take to the field Friday, when she competes in a 100 metres event at Stade France.
Her coach Pachisi Nyasulu believes Simwaka is in the right frame of mind to make a name at the Olympics.
“She is focused and we have done everything we wanted prior to the race. I have confidence that she will do better and improve her personal best time,” Nyasulu said.
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Simwaka has been in imperious form on the continent, winning a bronze medal in 200m during Senior African Athletics Championship in Douala, Cameroon, in June.
She set a new national and personal record after finishing the race in 23:05 to finish third.
In the 100m final of the continental championship, Simwaka finished sixth with 11:49 while Gina Mariam Bitaye of Gambia emerged winner after posting 11:14.
Maia McCoy of Liberia was second in 11:16 while Maboundou Kone of Ivory Coast finished third in 11:24.
The trio missed the standard Olympic qualification time of 22:57 but were given a second chance of representing their respective countries on Universality, which is a format that considers athletes’ good rankings based on their previous performance.
Meanwhile, another swimmer Tayamika Chang’anamuno (50 metres freestyle) will compete Saturday at Paris La Defense Arena.
