Bluefins ready to make splash at National Open event
Bluefins Swim Club swimmer Irhaa Raheel in action during a past swimming event. Irhaa will be part of the Bluefins team competing in this weekend’s Tanzania National Open Swimming Championships. PHOTO | courtesy
Dar es Salaam. Bluefins Swim Club will send a 13 strong team to this weekend’s Tanzania National Open Swimming Championship, with the Dar es Salaam based club targeting medals and a string of personal bests.
The championship will be held at the Monti International School swimming pool, bringing together more than 10 clubs from across the country in what is expected to be a competitive contest for national honours.
Bluefins founder and head trainer Rahim Alidina said the club’s swimmers have been preparing intensively and are ready to turn months of training into strong performances in the pool. “Our coaches have been preparing our swimmers for this event, and we expect them to do well, set lots of personal bests (PBs) and win medals at this weekend’s championship,” Alidina told The Citizen.
The club will field six female and seven male swimmers, with the competition providing an important test of their progress against some of the country’s leading swimmers.
The female contingent comprises Inaya Raheel, Sakina Abdullah, Maahira Noorani, Insiya Adamji, Irhaa Raheel and Amatullah Mustansir.
The male team consists of Burhanuddin Fazleabbas, Shuneal Bharwani, Dev Maru, Adam Hassanali, Kaysan Kachra, Cayden Barretto and Burhanuddin Yusuf.
For Bluefins, however, the championship will be about more than simply chasing medals. The club will also use the event to assess the progress of its swimmers and measure their development against stronger opposition.
Swimming competitions provide athletes with an opportunity to gauge whether their training is translating into improved times, while personal bests can offer an important indication of progress even when medals prove difficult to secure.
With more than 10 clubs expected to compete, the Bluefins swimmers will face a demanding challenge, particularly as the national championship brings together competitors with different levels of experience and preparation.
Alidina said the club’s focus has been on ensuring its swimmers enter the competition in the best possible condition, with each athlete expected to give a strong account of themselves.
