Tanzania swimmers urged to fight hard in Africa Championships
National Sports Council (NSC) Senior Sports Officer Charles Maguzu (centre, with tie) and Tanzania Swimming Association chairman David Mwasyoge (in white shirt) pose with national team swimmers, coaches and officials shortly after presenting the national flag ahead of the African Aquatics Swimming Championships in Oran. The team, comprising 19 swimmers, departed the country yesterday and is set to compete in the championships, which get underway tomorrow and will feature participants from various African countries. PHOTO | COURTESY
Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s swimmers have been urged to compete with determination, discipline and patriotism as they head into the 2026 Africa Aquatics Swimming Championships scheduled from May 5 to 10 in Oran, Algeria.
The call was made by National Sports Council (NSC) Senior Sports Officer Charles Maguzu during a national flag handover ceremony held in Dar es Salaam last Saturday ahead of the team’s departure.
Maguzu emphasized the importance of discipline, hard work and national pride, urging the athletes to return home with medals and trophies to bring honour to Tanzania on the international stage. He said the swimmers must remain focused, committed and fully dedicated throughout the competition, stressing that representing the country comes with responsibility and expectation.
Tanzania’s national swimming team manager, Hadija Shebe, confirmed that the country will be represented by 17 swimmers at the continental championships organised by the African Swimming Confederation.
Shebe said preparations have been carefully structured, with athletes training in different high-performance centres to ensure optimal readiness. Tanzania’s top male swimmer, Collins Saliboko, is currently training in South Africa and will travel directly to Oran ahead of the competition.
Other swimmers are also preparing in various locations. Kaysan Kachra and Aminaz Kachra are training in Mombasa, Kenya, while Ethan Makala and Ibrahim Igoro are based in Mwanza. Nicolene Johannes Viljoen, Zack Okumu and Abbas Salum Abdulali are training in Arusha. Meanwhile, 11 swimmers are training in Dar es Salaam under head coaches Ally Msazi and Radhia Shabani Gereza.
The group includes Bridget Donyo Heep, Crissa Denis Dillip, Filbertha Demello, Michael Joseph, Zainab Moosajee, Fidel Marsell Kavishe, Lorita Borega, Luke Okore and Kabeer Rizwan Lakhani.
Shebe expressed confidence in the team’s ability to deliver strong performances, noting that several swimmers have shown steady improvement in recent national and regional competitions. “We are confident that Tanzania will return home with medals and make history. The preparation has been good and the athletes are ready,” she said.
The team is expected to depart for Algeria on Sunday evening. According to Shebe, the early arrival is a strategic move to allow athletes to acclimatise and adjust to local conditions before the championships begin.
Originally scheduled to be held in Ghana, the event was relocated to Oran after the host nation withdrew. Despite the change in venue, Tanzania’s preparations have remained on track.
