Bluefins claim 60 medals at Taliss-IST championships

Dar es Salaam. Bluefins Swim Club swimmers who participated in last weekend’s Taliss-IST Invitational gala held at the IST Masaki swimming pool in Dar es Salaam managed to win 60 medals at the event.

The event featured nine clubs from various regions in Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar. The clubs were Mwanza Swim (38), Dar Swim Club (38), FK Blue Marlins (25), Mis Piranhas (17) and Uwcea Moshi which won 10 medals.

The club’s founder Rahim Alidina said out of the 60 medals, 20 were gold, 22 Silver and 18 were bronze medals.

Alidina said nine Bluefins’ swimmers also won overall trophies as the top swimmers in their respective age categories.

Swimmers who won individual overall trophies were; Zainab Moosajee (Winner in Girls 8 & under), Aminaz Kachra (Winner in Girls 9-10 years), Lina Goyayi (Runner-up in Girls 9-10 years) and Filbertha Demello (3rd position in girls 9-10 years).

Other trophies winners were Natalia Ladha (Runner-up in Girls 11-12 years), Sahal Harunani (Runner-up Boys 11-12 years), Isaac Mukani (3rd position in Boys 11-12 years), Sarah Shariff (3rd position in Girls 15 years & above), and Aaron Akwenda (3rd position in Boys aged 15-16 years).

“Four of our swimmers also broke old records and set up new ones in the event,” said Rahim Alidina. Bluefins swimmers who broke and set new records were Aaron Akwenda who set up a new record in the 50m Breaststroke event by finishing in 33:90 seconds (The previous record stood at 34:27 secs), Aminaz Kachra who broke the 50m Freestyle record by finishing in 33:54 secs (the previous record stood at 34:03 secs).

Another top swimmer, Natalia Ladha who broke three records in 50m Butterfly by finishing in 33:10secs (previous record stood at 33:12), 100m Backstroke in 1min:12:80 secs (previous record 1:15:22), and 100m Butterfly in 1min:12:94 secs (previous record 1:13:70).

The club’s eight years old Zainab Moosajee also managed to break the record in 50m Butterfly which stood at 45:94 secs by finishing and setting a new record at 45:49 secs. Bluefins swimmers who won medals at the event were: Aminaz Kachra ( 6 gold, 1 Bronze), Natalia Ladha (5 Gold, 3 Silver), Zainab Moosajee (4 Gold, 2 bronze), Aaron Akwenda ( 3 Gold, 1 Silver, 2 Bronze), Lina Goyayi (1 Gold, 2 Silver, 3 Bronze) and Isaac Mukani who won one gold and two bronze.

The list also includes Filbertha Demello (4 Silver), Sarah Shariff (3 Silver, 2 Bronze), Sahal Harunani (3 Silver, 1 Bronze), Enrico Barretto (2 Silver), Jay Govindji (2 Silver), Zianna Alidina (2 Bronze), Burhanuddin Mustansir (1 Bronze) and Salman Yasser (1 Bronze).

Other Bluefins swimmers who created their personal best times at the gala were Aaliyah Takim, Alexis Misabo, Aliyana Kachra, Avinav Mahapatra, Christian Fernandes, Delbert Ipilinga, Hassan Harunani, Jay Badiyani, Jeevan Bhatti, Kabeer Lakhani, Maryam Ipilinga, Muskan Gaikwad, Niharika Mahapatra, Raihan Abdullatif, Zac Okumu, Adam Patwa, Ameer Ismail, Garv Bhatti, Kaysan Kachra, Mohammadhussein Imran, Moiz Kaderbhai, Rayyan Khan, Shuneal Bharwani and Gervas Sayi.

“Overall we are very pleased with the performances of our swimmers and appreciate the efforts they put in the training and the efforts our coaches put in as well, and most important is the support that the swimmers get from their parents, which is probably the most important.

We are now preparing our swimmers for the Isamilo Gala in Mwanza next month and we expect them to improve their timings there as well and be ready for Tanzania National Championships which is expected to be held in April,” said Alidina.