Swimming coaches, particularly those working with young athletes, have been urged to prioritise teaching proper swimming techniques before focusing on speed to build a strong foundation for long-term development.
The call was made by Amina Mfaume of Champion Rise, a co-organiser of the East Africa Golden Invitation Gala, during the closing ceremony of the competition.
Mfaume said proper technique is essential in developing swimmers' abilities, nurturing talent and preparing young athletes to compete at higher levels.
She said the competition brought together nine clubs from Tanzania and Kenya, comprising six Tanzanian clubs and three Kenyan clubs, with more than 160 swimmers participating.
She explained that the event aimed to strengthen relations between the two countries, provide clubs with an opportunity to assess their swimmers' performance and identify areas requiring improvement to meet the required standards.
Speaking on behalf of Kenya's PIPSA organisation, Samuel Maina said the competition had attracted strong participation and delivered beyond expectations, achieving more than 100 per cent of its intended objectives.
Meanwhile, Susan Ikonge, a parent from Kenya's Octopus Swimming Team, thanked Tanzania for its warm hospitality and encouraged Tanzanian parents to give their children opportunities to participate in swimming.
She said the sport plays an important role in nurturing talent, developing sporting abilities and improving children's overall health.
Ikonge noted that swimming is highly competitive in Kenya due to the large number of people involved in the sport, while participation in Tanzania still needs to grow.
She urged parents and sports stakeholders to increase efforts to encourage children to take up swimming, saying wider participation would help develop talent and strengthen the country's competitiveness in the sport.
For her part, Kehlani Wanjiku, a swimmer from Kenya's Octopus team, expressed satisfaction with her participation in the gala after winning medals.
She said the medals reflected her hard work and dedication, adding that she was grateful for the recognition of her achievements at the competition.
The East Africa Golden Invitation Gala provided a platform for young swimmers from Tanzania and Kenya to showcase their abilities, gain competitive experience and strengthen sporting ties between the neighbouring countries.