Officials and technical egg heads of Nigeria Aquatics Federation (NAqF) are looking beyond the ongoing Africa Zone 2 swimming championship in Dakar, Senegal, as plans are already in motion to prepare for the 2026 Youth Olympics and National Intermediate Games.
Sports247 reports that, while NAqF’s officials are backing the country’s contingent to excel at the ongoing Africa Aquatics Zone 2 Junior/Senior Swimming Championship in Dakar, the federation is also using the competition to assess its swimmers for other forthcoming events.
NAqF’s media representative, Nonso Arinzechi disclosed that a total of 15 of Nigeria’s young swimmers are currently competing among talents from 32 countries across the continent, following which they are expected to feature in a ‘Swim To The Future’ competition in September.
Arinzechi disclosed that the team of 11 female and four male swimmers made an impressive start at the championship in Dakar, as they ended day one with a haul of two gold, four silver and two bronze medals, to place second on the table behind the host country, Senegal.
Aidan Dumuje and India Brown won gold in the 100-metre freestyle, Omolola Akinsanmi, while Demilade Ayemowa and Tofunmi Ibidapo added silver medals in the 100-metre freestyle, 100-metre breaststroke and 200-metre butterfly, all to the delight of their coach, Christopher Ezemegwalu.
Sports247 gahered further that the Dakar championship is expected to give the Nigerian swimmers valuable international exposure ahead of the Youth Olympics scheduled for October 30th to November 12th, before which they will compete at the National Intermediate Games, starting on Nigeria’s Independence Day in Lagos.
While restating their commitment to developing young swimmers through sustained competition, strategic preparation and increased exposure, NAqF added that the swimmers will compete from August through October, with huge expectations that they will grow further in confidence.
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