Swimming: Teenager Zaira Forson wins 13 medals for Ghana

The 15-year-old won a silver medal at the Championship to climax the 7th Africa Zone Two Swimming and Open Water Championships which was held from March 5 to 8.

In the women’s 5km Open Water event, Zaira finished in second-place with a time of 1:43.04 hours to win a silver medal.

15-year-old swimmer Zaira Forson Pulse Ghana

Senegal’s Diagne Sophia Catherine finished ahead of her to win gold after recording a time of 1:39.07 hours.

The Graphic Online reports that Zaira’s feat at the championship took her overall tally of medals for Ghana to 13.

These comprise of eight individual medals (including the Women’s 400 metres Individual Medley, 200m Backstroke, 400m Freestyle) and five team medals during the three-day competition at the Bukom International Pool in Accra and the Aqua Safari Resort.

Meanwhile, the Africa Zone Two Swimming and Open Water Championships served as qualifiers for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

"I appreciate this championship because it has exposed me to know where I fell short. I am going to train intensively to improve on my time where the world will see me as a super star because I have a lot to offer,” Zaira said.

"I will not be complacent after this championship because the championship was a learning room to test my capabilities. I am still young and the best thing to push Ghana swimming is through training,” she added.