Dar es Salaam. The Tanzania Swimming Association (TSA) has announced a national squad of 33 swimmers who will represent the country at the Africa Aquatics Zone 3 Championships 2026, featuring a blend of young talents and experienced competitors selected to challenge some of the strongest swimming nations in the region.
TSA secretary General Inviolata Itatiro confirmed the team selection, saying the swimmers were picked based on criteria established by the association’s technical committee after assessing their performances and development progress.
The squad features swimmers across four age categories, namely 12 years and under, 13–14 years, 15–16 years, and 17 years and above, reflecting Tanzania’s continued focus on nurturing young talent while maintaining competitiveness at senior level.
In the 12 years and under female category, Tanzania will be represented by Ruby Stanley, Iris Mattaka, Camilla Kyenekiki, Ithra Kahemele and Celine Matembo, while the male team comprises Arthur Mushi, Oscar Liebchen, William Ng’wandu, Konhelli Mhella and Mikhail Mangush. The 13–14 years category will see Nicolene Viljoen, Heydleen Magashi, Imani Kimario, Leyna Borega and Lorita Borega compete in the female category, while the male swimmers are Ethan Makalla, Max Missokia, Ibrahim Igoro, Fidel Kavishe, Alberto Itatiro and Nabil Ahmed.In the 15–16 years category, Tanzania’s female representatives are Crissa Dillip and Abigail Matungwa, while the male contingent includes Julius Missokia, Shuneal Bharwani, Kabeer Lakhani, Luke Okore and Zac Okumu.
The senior category of 17 years and above features Cathleen Maokola and Filbertha Demello in the women’s competition, while the men’s team includes Abbas Abdulila, Austin Okore and Michael Joseph.
Inviolata said the championships will provide an important platform for Tanzanian swimmers to measure their progress against some of the best competitors from the Africa Aquatics Zone 3 region.
“The swimmers have been selected according to the criteria set by our technical committee. We believe this is a strong team capable of representing Tanzania well,” said Inviolata.
The Africa Aquatics Zone 3 Championships 2026 are expected to attract leading swimming nations from East and Central Africa, including Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Sudan and hosts Uganda, creating a highly competitive environment for both individual and relay events.
Tanzania’s delegation will be led by team manager Hadija Shebe, who will be supported by an experienced coaching team comprising lead Coach Radhia Shaban, team coach Samweli Mtupo and team coach Rashid Juma Kipipa.
The selection comes as Tanzania continues to invest in swimming development through national championships, youth programs and talent identification initiatives aimed at improving the country’s competitiveness in regional and international competitions.
In recent years, the TSA has increased efforts to develop a strong swimming pipeline by introducing more structured competitions for young swimmers and providing opportunities for athletes to gain international exposure.
The Zone 3 Championships are expected to feature intense battles, particularly among East African countries that have traditionally produced closely contested races in individual events and relay competitions.
TSA officials expressed confidence that the selected swimmers, together with their coaches and support staff, will help Tanzania make a strong impact at the regional championship as they compete against some of Africa’s emerging swimming talents.
