Over 40 national records smashed at Dar swimming tourney

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania will soon join the best swimming nations in the world, says Coach Alex Mwaipasi.

Mwaipasi, who is one of the best swimming coaches in the country, said yesterday that Tanzania is endowed with gifted swimmers who only need exposure to excel internationally.

Last year, Mwaipasi – working together with Dar es Salaam Swimming Club coach Michael Livingstone – guided the national team to the Africa Zone Three Championship triumph.

His hearty remarks come only days after 41 national records were smashed during the Tanzania Life Saving Society (Taliss) Invitational Swimming Championship in Dar es Salaam.

Mwaipasi, who is among swimming enthusiasts who witnessed the two-day championship, said he was happy with the way local swimmers fared at the event.

According to him, many young swimmers have improved their personal ‘best time’ levels.

“Earlier, we were underdogs in the game. We were mere participants in international competitions,” he said.

“But our swimmers are now winning medals almost at will in regional championships – as those who saw them in action during the 2017 Cana Zone Three event can attest,” he said.

In 2016, Tanzania won the Cana championship for the first time in Kigali, Rwanda – and successfully retained the trophy in Dar es Salaam last year.

“Last weekend, more than 300 swimmers from various clubs around the country competed in the Taliss championship in Dar es Salaam, where some of them smashed more than one national record,” he said.