Natalia, Aravind steal the show at junior event

Dar es Salaam. Two swimmers, Aravind Raghavendran and Natalia Ladha, of Taliss-IST Swimming Club based here have emerged the top scorers in this year’s Tanzania Junior Swimming Championships held at the International School of Tanganyika (IST), Upanga.

As Aravind, 12, scored 220 points in the two-day event organised by Tanzania Swimming Association (TSA), Natalia, 11, scored 212 points to be the top points contributor for their club in the event which was sponsored by SBC Tanzania (Pepsi).

In his group, Aravind, who won 13 events, of which 11 were of his age category, one in the open category and another of relay.

He got 13 gold medals from the 13 scores. He also set nine new national records and was the only swimmer to have made national record in all the swimming strokes in this competition. He has been declared the best swimmer in his age category.

Another promising swimmer, Peter Itatiro of Dar Swim Club finished second in the category after scoring 132 points. Both Aravind and Peter represented Tanzania in Cana Zone Three Championships held in Khartoum, Sudan and won trophies.

Charles Ford of Taliss-IST emerged third in the age category with 124 points. F

or her part, Natalia scored 212 points in the Junior Championships in the girl’s category.

She also broke 10 national records, whereby her performance put her in the group of the best swimmers in the championships. Her role was big in enabling her club to emerge victorious.

Natalia was followed by Sydney Hardeman, also from Taliss-IST, who scored 152 points and Sophia Latiff also from the Upanga-based club with 146 points. Dar es Salaam Swimming Club swimmer Riona Muriithi was placed fourth with 146 points too.

In the boys’ 11-year-old category, Mihaly Romeo Asubisye led the group with 200 points, was followed by Isaac Mukani and Sahal Harunani all from Bluefins with 178 and 138 points respectively.

In the girls’ U-7 years old, Taliss-IST swimmer Mayli Van Schalkwayk led the group after scoring 120 points, followed by Viva Pujari of Bluefins who scored 88 points and Teah Chunara of Taliss-IST who scored 66 points.

Taliss-IST also led the boys’ category whereby Sam Dunford and Sam Hardeman led the category with 106 points each and Zac Okumu of Bluefins who scored 96 points.

Bluefins’ swimmer Tove Eriksson also came third in the category involving swimmers aged between 8-9 years old after collecting 114 points. Bluefins swimmer Aminaz Kachra and Lina Goyayi led the group with 168 points and 154 points respectively.

In the category of 12-year-old girls, Roos Nevelsteen of Taliss-IST emerged the top scorer with 176 points, followed by Dar Swim Club’s Ria Save with 160 points and Olivia Doggart of Taliss-IST who scored 122 points and Nawal Sgebe also from Taliss-IST with 110 points.