MORE than 400 young swimmers from across East and Southern Africa will compete in the National Junior Swimming Championships taking place on June 6 and 7 at the International School of Tanganyika (IST) swimming pool in Masaki, Dar es Salaam.
The competition will bring together athletes from 25 swimming clubs representing Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and Zambia, underscoring the growing popularity of the sport among young people in the region.
Organised by the Tanzania Swimming Association (TSA), the championships aim to provide a competitive platform for emerging swimmers to test their abilities, improve their performance times and gain exposure to international-level competition.
TSA Director of Education and Development, Jeremiah Keema, said all logistical and technical preparations had been completed, with participants and officials ready for the two-day event.
He said the association deliberately invited clubs from neighbouring countries to broaden the competitive environment and expose Tanzanian swimmers to a higher standard of racing.
“We are ready to host a successful championship and achieve the goals we have set. We are grateful to all stakeholders who have supported us in organising this event, and we continue to welcome additional sponsors and partners interested in supporting youth sports development,” Mr Keema said.
He noted that the championships would serve as an important benchmark for swimmers and coaches, allowing them to assess the effectiveness of training programmes and measure progress against regional competitors.
According to Mr Keema, the event will not only help young athletes lower their race times but also provide valuable insights into their technical development, discipline and overall readiness for future competitions.
He added that nurturing young talent remains central to TSA’s long-term strategy of strengthening Tanzania’s swimming standards and producing athletes capable of excelling at regional and international levels.
Mr Keema called on sports enthusiasts and the public to attend the championships and cheer on the young competitors, saying strong spectator support would boost morale and inspire the next generation of swimmers.
The championships are expected to deliver exciting competition while providing a pathway for talented swimmers to advance to higher levels of the sport and represent their countries on bigger stages.
