11-year-old sailor hopes to bring trophy home
Janeth Nassari, a Grade Four pupil at Atlas Primary School has once again been selected to join the Tanzania Sailors’ Team 2019.
The team represents Tanzania at the 17th International Optimist Dinghy Association Africa Championships in Seychells from August 25th to 1 September this year.
This is not the first time that the 11-year-old is participating in the championship. She participated in last year’s competition in Mozambique where she returned with a certificate of recognition as the youngest participant.
Speaking to Young Citizen before her departure to Seychelles, Janeth who is a good swimmer said she developed a hobby in the sport when she was a four-year-old child. She used to swim at the Yacht Club where her father works.
“Every Saturday and Sunday I used to go with my father to his office and since then swimming became my hobby,” she told Young Citizen.
In 2017, the young girl took an interest in sailing and thanks to her father, she started training at the Dar es Salaam Yacht Club.
“I used to love this game very much and when they announced that theywanted children to join in the competition, I told my father I was interested and in 2018, I was among 13 children who went to Mozambique for the competition.”
Janeth ranked 42nd out of the 72 children who participated in the competition. She received a certificate of participation and recognition for being the youngest participant.
“The competition was open to children between ages 9-15 but I was the only one who was 10 years old. This earned me a ticket to participate in a similar championship in India from December 28, 2018 to January 12, 2019. I ranked 32nd out of the 68 children who participated.”
After she returned from India, Janeth was selected to represent Tanzania in Seychelles, together with Kulthum Kassinge from Oysterbay Primary School. She hopes to return with a trophy as she is confident she has got enough experience in the sport.
Janeth wants to be a specialist doctor when she grows up.
