Harare — WHEN young James Lawson brought back two gold medals from last month's 8th Junior African Swimming Championships in Mauritius, most local followers of the sport breathed a huge sigh of relief.

Their fears that the sport would die a natural death once local swimming sensation Kirsty Coventry quits the sport were laid to rest by young Lawson's exploits in the pool during the Mauritius event.

Apart from winning the two gold medals in the boys 12-14 years age group's 100m breaststroke and 200m individual medley events, the 14-year-old St George's College Form Two pupil also set a new African Junior record at the same event.

Lawson punched his name into the African junior swimming record books when he swept to victory in the 100m breaststroke event in a new continental junior time of 1 minute 09.20 seconds.

He set new Zimbabwean junior records in the 50m breaststroke (31.83 seconds) and 200IM (2:20.97).

This was good enough to convince the local swimming followers that the young swimmer was the next "best thing" to emerge from the Zimbabwean pools after Coventry.

In fact, most people were convinced that Zimbabwe has now produced another good swimmer who was ready to fill in Coventry's big shoes and win the country more swimming medals at the next Olympic Games, most probably at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.

But while the local swimming enthusiasts are waiting with abated breath on what next Lawson will produce in the future, they could be in for a big shock.

The young multi-talented sportsman recently made a surprise disclosure that could leave local swimming followers a disappointed lot.

Lawson told The Herald that he actually "hates" swimming and has a secret passion over the other aquatic sport -- waterpolo.

He revealed that he was only in the sport of swimming because of his father, Pete, "who always pushes me to take part in the sport".

"Swimming is not my favourite sport. I enjoy waterpolo. In fact, I'm in the Zimbabwe Under-15 waterpolo team that will leave for South Africa at the beginning of December for the South African Schools Waterpolo Championships.

"I'm more of a waterpolo player than a swimmer," Lawson said.

Wow!

But what makes the young man have such a bad feeling over the sport in which he seems to have a bright future in?

"Swimming training is very hard. I like going on tours with the (Zimbabwean) swimming teams but the training is hard and you're required to train almost everyday and that's what I hate about the sport.

"It's unlike waterpolo where I train about four times a week and it's a team sport... I really like the sport," Lawson revealed.

But does he see himself going to the Olympic Games as a swimmer or a waterpolo player since waterpolo is almost like a dormant sport in this country?

"I'll have to see... But my dream is to go to the Olympics as a waterpolo player and if that doesn't happen, then I might go there as a swimmer but that's not my first choice."

But Lawson still enjoys his time whenever he gets into the pool either competing as a swimmer or a waterpolo player.

"For swimming, when I get into the pool, I spent about one hour and I train twice a week on Mondays and Fridays as compared to waterpolo where I spent more hours and play the sport for about four days a week.

"I was recently picked for the Zimbabwe Under-15 waterpolo team and we practise at St. John's College under coach Rob Hammond."

Lawson said he took up the sport of swimming when he was 10 years old and was "pushed" into the sport by his father Pete, who used to swim for Zimbabwe.

"I swim for a local swimming club Pirates who are based at Oriel Boys High School and I've been under one coach my whole life -- Sue Bradshaw.

"She's the head coach of Pirates and the club has about 40 swimmers."

Lawson also revealed that he has a soft spot for rugby.

"Most of my time is taken by schoolwork but apart from waterpolo, I also play rugby. So I don't swim much but I get fit from running and cycling."

And does young Lawson has a role model in his life?

Wait for this.

"No, I don't have. I don't aspire to be anyone. I just want to be myself and see what the future holds for me."

That's quite an amazing statement from a young boy who actually comes from a sporting family.

While his father Pete used to swim for Zimbabwe, his elder brother Matthew, a Form Four pupil at St. George's College, is also a swimmer and holds a number of national records in swimming.

Lawson's sister Natasha is also into aquatics and plays waterpolo.