IST ready for 14-club swimming showdown
FOURTEEN clubs have confirmed to compete for the top honours in the National Swimming Championship to be staged at International School of Tanganyika (IST), Masaki in Dar es Salaam this weekend.
The clubs are Champions Rise, Bluefins, FK Blue Marlins, Dar Swim Club, Taliss-IST, Premier Swimming Club and Tanzania Para Swimming Association (TPSA).
Others are Riptide Swim Club, Mwanza Swimming Club, Mis Piranhas, Pigec, Braeburn Arusha, Ospreys swim club and Lake Swimming Club.
Speaking yesterday, Tanzania Swimming Association (TSA) secretary general Inviolata Itatiro said they expect to see more than 200 swimmers in the event sponsored by IST, Pepsi, Just Fit and ITV.
She said all swimmers are now in the final touches in preparation to compete in the annual event.
A total of 104 disciplines will spice up the competition’s challenge.
Itatiro said they have decided to have many events to enable athletes to accurately gauge the swimming prowess and strength before selecting the best ones for the national teams to compete in various international level tournament.
Itatiro said 60 events will be held on the first day, while the rest will be on the second day.
She told the swimmers to show their abilities during the two-day event. In addition, she said the national team will compete in various international competitions, insisting that quality swimmers to excel in the event will be selected for the national teams.
Itatiro said TNCC is the qualification event and he called upon swimmers who are living outside Tanzania to compete as per the rules and regulations.
According to Itatiro, the body needs 15m/- to stage the event, and she appealed to swimming stakeholders to support them.
Swimmers of all age categories will battle in five swimming styles. They are freestyle, butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and individual medley alias IM and relays.
“The championships will be open to all TSA-registered swimmers. However, Tanzanian swimmers are supposed to feature in this meet to be considered in the selection of the national team 2023,” she insisted.
She also clarified that all foreign swimmers who have achieved qualifying time standards and have been cleared by their federations can compete in the TNCC.
