Nyeri County steps up preparations for the Mount Kenya Swimming Festival

In a recent bid to promote competitive swimming among counties in Kenya, the Nyeri County swimming association members and delegates have stepped up their preparations for coming up with a team that will represent the region in the upcoming Mount Kenya Swimming Bloc Festivals set for April 1 2023 at the Mpesa Foundation Academy in Thika.

In a series of meetings held this week, the Kenya Swimming Federation (KSF) Nyeri members and coaches deliberated over a number of issues related to swimming in the region and also to help carve out a way in which the county registration process by the Registrar of Sports would be fast-tracked.

At the moment, only a few counties including Kiambu, Nakuru, Kisumu, Kajiado, Tharaka Nithi, Laikipia, Uasin Gishu and Nairobi have been cleared by the Sports Registrar to have complied and ready to take part in the forthcoming KSF national elections.

The FINA Stabilization Committee has promised to have the elections held within the month(s).

With over 50 swimmers expected to grace the Kampala Invitational Championships later this year, top of the agenda of the Nyeri members was also on tapping talent from junior public high schools that would go a long way in representing the county and country in future swimming meets.

Kenya is also expected to field a team that will participate in the Dubai ‘Sizzler’ Hamilton Aquatics Development Championships in June this year.

“Majority of the best swimmers from private schools end up joining public high schools and some stop swimming due to lack of competition,” Bernard Mathu - patron of Mt Kenya Swimming Bloc said. “The galas motivate swimmers for training and it is our aim to go for high school swimmers at Nyeri High School, Nanyuki High, Bishop Gatimu Ngandu in order to support county swimming federations.

“After high school, we go to universities and colleges in the region.”

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The Mount Kenya Bloc hopes to rival other Regional swimming blocks like the Coast Amateur Swimming Association that has always dominated swimming galas and international meets.

Among the teams that have confirmed participation for the April 1 gala include; Millbrook Embu, Chantilly Schools, Loreto Convent Valley Road and St.Christopher’s School in Nanyuki.