Lawson Brothers Crack Zimbabwe Swim Records

By Glen Byrom

HARARE, Zimbabwe, November 20. THE Lawson brothers, Matthew (14) and James (12), both broke long-standing Zimbabwe swimming records at Friday's fifth Mashonaland seeded gala at Harare's Les Brown Pool. James, with his slick and fast style, clocked 1:21.36 in the boys 12-and-under 100 meter breaststroke to shave the record of S. Brant (1:21.77) set 12 years ago. The St. John's swimmer then won all five of his races the next day at his school interhouse gala to collect the Victor Ludorum in his final junior school gala.

The blond Matthew, an imposing 6'1" at 14 years and two months, stormed to 2:23.86 in the boys 14-and-under 200 meter butterfly to crack M. Spence's 2:24.37 set at the All Africa championships in Chitungwiza, Harare, in 1998.

The brothers now hold six of the 13 national records in the 12-years group and Matthew has four to himself in the 14-year group and he has more in his sights at the Junior All Africa Championships in Cairo, Egypt, in two weeks time.

Tara Wallace (Spartans) also tuned up well for Cairo by recording her personal-best 32.57 in the girls 13-14 50 meter butterfly – also inside the Prestige Level 3 qualifying time for South Africa's premier age group gala next March. She still needs one more time to clinch selection for that blue-chip gala and Cairo at sea-level should see to that soon.

Shannon Taute (13) of Spartan's beat three-minutes for the first time in the 13-14 girls 200 meter butterfly, but her 2:56.77 is still almost 20 seconds off P. Sullivan's 1996 national record. She still has a year in this age group and so, with dedication and focus, she will get closer.

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