Millfield Swimmer Crowned Junior African Champion

A Millfield Sixth Form student has been crowned Junior African Champion after producing a standout performance to win the 50m Freestyle title. 

Mikayla Makwabarara’s result at the African Junior Swimming Championships was particularly rewarding after a challenging competition. Despite not every race going to plan, Mikayla saved her best performance for the final day in the 50m Freestyle. 

Mikayla began competitive swimming at the age of nine in Zimbabwe while also training and competing in gymnastics. Within her first year, she earned international selection to represent Zimbabwe in gymnastics, going on to compete for the national team for four years before deciding to dedicate herself fully to swimming. 

By the age of 12, Mikayla had made her debut at her first continental swimming championships, laying the foundations for what has become a successful international career. 

Mikayla combines an intensive swimming programme of six pool sessions each week alongside gym sessions, while also competing in athletics. She credits the school's high-performance sporting environment with allowing her to successfully balance two sports alongside her academic studies. Mikayla said: “The training that I do for athletics is also part of the athletic development side of my swimming program, so I find that the two sports blend seamlessly. The academic-sport balance is what drew me to Millfield when I joined in year 10. I wanted an environment that would allow me to pursue both to a high standard without having to sacrifice one entirely for the other." 

Managing two competitive sports has required careful planning, something Mikayla says has been made possible through close collaboration with her coaches and a structured approach to training: “My teachers are incredibly supportive when I miss lessons for competitions, making sure I have everything I need to keep up with my studies." 

Reflecting on her recent achievement Mikayla says: "Having my strongest event on the final day was a real test of my mental resilience, going into that race and being able to execute it so well required a lot of focus and composure, especially after a tough swimming season." 

The significance of her achievement only truly sank in during the medal ceremony: "It didn't really hit me that I was Junior African Champion until I was standing on the podium hearing my national anthem play. It was a very special and emotional moment, and I really felt like all my hard work had paid off." 

Looking ahead, Mikayla plans to continue her swimming career at university. Having now completed her final season as a junior swimmer, her ambitions are firmly focused on senior international competition. "My goal is to make future senior national teams for World Championships and ultimately to compete at the Olympic Games."