Dar es Salaam. Collins Saliboko, Tanzania’s top male swimmer, has begun a unique training regimen in preparation for next year’s Paris Olympic Games, which will take place from July 26 to August 11 in France.
Collins departed the country yesterday for a special programme run by former World Swimming Federation (Fina) technical committee chairman Graham Hill in Durban, South Africa.
Collins, who is also in World’s Aquatic training programme, will receive extensive training in South Africa and will compete in a variety of contests.
“The training will last six months and will be repeated. Collins had previously been in the same residential camp and had come home to represent the country in the African Zone Three championships, which were held last November 17 to 20 at the Dar es Salaam Gymkhana Club swimming pool. Tanzania won the title for the third time,” said Inviolata Itatiro, secretary general of the Tanzania Swimming Association (TSA).
The swimmer specialises in the butterfly stroke and competes internationally in the 50m, 100m, and 200m distances as well as the 50m, 100m, and 200m freestyle. Collins often competes in the 50m, 100m, and 200m butterfly, as well as the 50m, 100m, and 200m freestyle and the 50m, 100m, and 200m backstroke at nationals.
They performed well at the championships, which included 262 swimmers from ten African countries.
Collins’ amazing performances have won many hearts in the game thus far.
Collins won the African Zone Three Championships with 54 points, beating out the other swimmers who competed. Collins, in addition to scoring highly, won 13 gold medals and two silver medals for coming first in both his age category and overall, according to records. He won gold medals in the 200, 400, and 800 metre freestyle events before adding gold medals in the 50, 100, and 200 metre butterfly events and the 50, 100, and 200 metre backstroke events.
The swimmer also won gold medals in the 200m individual medley (IM), 200m mixed medley relay, and 200m freestyle relay. He also won silver medals in the 50m and 100m freestyle events, as well as the 200m medal relay. Collins was also awarded a trophy for his outstanding achievement.
