A member of Ghana’s debuting swim team, Ophelia Swayne has admitted to having the jitters ahead of the Games but she maintains that she is ready for the big event.
Swayne, is joined by Abeiku Jackson, Nana Kwabena Antwi, Kwesi Abbiw Jackson and Kwaku Addo on the Ghana team that will be aiming to do well in its first ever Commonwealth Games despite years of participation in global competitions sanctioned by the world swimming governing body, FINA.
Swayne sees how edgy things could be for her in Glasgow even though she says she is ready to do very well and improve her times.
“It is always very scary because you never know what to expect when you are in a new competition and this one is a very huge one.
However, I am ready to do my best. What I want to do is to improve my swimming times. I want to do better times in the pool so that in the next two or so years, I will be able to win medals for Ghana,” Swayne said in an interview with the Ghana Olympic Committee’s Media Office.
She also stated the pre-tournament training was very beneficial to them and that has made her confident of success.
“The training camp went well and the people we worked with very nice people. I worked hard with my coach. We swam twice a day and worked on our physique and all. I feel very ready. Readier than any other competition I have been to.”
Swayne takes to the pool in Heat 4 of the Women’s 50m freestyle at the Tollcross Swimming Centre on Thursday 24th July.
About Ophelia Swayne
Swayne’s swimming adventure is down to her mother’s insistence. Swayne says her mother forced her and her siblings to take lessons since she could not learn in her youth.
She began swimming at age 3 but it got very serious for her at age 12 when she joined the Tesano Dolphins.
She takes part in the freestyle and the butterfly events and has represented Ghana in some international competitions in and outside Africa including the All Africa Games in 2011 and the FINA World Junior Championships in Dubai in 2013.
By: Nathan Quao/citifmonline.com/Ghana