The Gambia Swimming Association will on Saturday 7th December hold an open water swimming championship in Barra, north bank region.
The regional series championship is aimed at identifying young swimming talent in the regions. More than 25 swimmers, male and female, are expected to compete in the junior and senior categories respectively.
“It’s very important that the national swimming association is organizing more swimming events in this region,” said Mamadi Jarju, swimming regional coordinator of north bank region. “The youths of north bank region are now showing keen interest in swimming, which is very promising.”
Swimming is not a sport in which you see many Gambians venture into like football and volleyball. However, Jarju stressed that its important that the strive for success continues in the regions. “Swimming is becoming a popular sport in this region and I think that’s a positive sign. The sport has become so rewarding, so the young ones should take it seriously,” Jarju said.
Meanwhile, the event will also witness a showcasing of life saving skills and techniques in drowning cases by trained lifeguards of The Gambia Swimming Association.
At the end of the entire series, the regional coordinators in collaboration with The Gambia Swimming Association will identify the 10 best open water swimmers (5 males and 5 females) to train with the national team.
