Dar swimmers sparkle in national club tourney

Taliss Club swimmers and officials celebrate at the end of this year’s National Club Championship at the International School of Tanganyika (IST) ground in Dar es Salaam on Sunday. PHOTO | VENANCE NESTORY

What you need to know:

  • Led by top swimmer Hilal Hilal, who took home eight individual medals, Taliss finished second after garnering 2,014 points in the championship, which featured more than 150 swimmers from around the country.

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania Life Saving Society (Taliss) swimmers made a spectacular performance at this year’s National Swimming Championship.

Despite tough competition from the other competing clubs, Taliss swimmers registered many Personal Best times (PB’s) in the championship, which came to a close on Sunday at the International School of Tanganyika (IST), Upanga.

Led by top swimmer Hilal Hilal, who took home eight individual medals, Taliss finished second after garnering 2,014 points in the championship, which featured more than 150 swimmers from around the country.

Also on the list of swimmers who left a mark at the annual event is Taliss’ Natalia Ladha, who also claimed eight medals. Aravind Raghavendran was also all smiles at the closing ceremony after winning seven gold medals in seven categories for swimmers aged between 11 and 12 years.

Overall champions Dar es Salaam Swimming Club (DSC) also fared well in the individuals’ category.

The club’s elite swimmer Sonia Tumiotto won gold medals in eight categories, while compatriot Chichi Zengeni claimed seven.

Tumiotto is among swimmers who will represent Tanzania at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia.

Ellis Anderson, a member of Arusha’s Braeburn Club, emerged top in the boys’ Under-10 category.

In men’s category, Taliss claimed the tittle after amassing 975 points. Mis Piranha and Bliefins finished second and third with 798 and 681 points respectively. Ukraine-based swimmer Christian Shirima, who featured for DSC in the championship, set a new national record in the boys’ 200m breaststroke.

This year’s championship also featured swimmers from Mwanza Swimming Club (MSC), Zanzibar’s KMKM and Wahoo, Arusha Swimming Club, JKU Zanzibar, Champions Rise and International School of Moshi.