Kenyan teenage swim sensation targets Olympic ticket after stellar show in South Africa
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Reading Time: 2min | Tue. 10.06.25. | 18:03
He credits his move to Tuks High School as one that will build his competitive advantage in the coming years
Kenya’s teenage sensation Neo Olengo is dreaming of a place in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games just days after topping his age-group in the South Africa Schools Long Course swimming Championships.
The 14-year-old, competing in the men’s 13-14 years 50m breaststroke, won in an impressive time of 31.28 seconds, fending off the South African duo of Cristiano De Freitas (31.58) and James Wing (31.89).
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The win came months after Olengo had claimed gold in the 100m freestyle and 200m individual medley at the Kenya Aquatics National Age Group Championships.
Reflecting on his exploits, Olengo, who notably represented Kenya at the CANA Zone IV Championships in Lusaka as a young student in Grade Six, said: “The best is yet to come.
My goal remains to attain the 'A' qualification to qualify for the next Olympics. I still have two years to sharpen myself with the help of my coaches.”
Olengo, who smashed his personal record (26.91 seconds) in the 50m freestyle at the Kiambu Inter-County Championships in 2023, is now in a privileged position to make the global showpiece, having transferred to Tuks High School in Pretoria one and a half years ago.
“With the facilities here in South Africa, I believe I can make it to the Olympics in three years,” Olengo said, hailing the country’s competitive environment as a plus in his career.
“It's quite competitive and you have to be at your best, considering you are swimming against the top South African junior swimmers,” the youngster said.
“The good thing is that I am improving in my times as well as my execution in the various events.”
Olengo, with his latest win, is now in a class of highly talented teenagers who are eyeing a spot in the Summer Games.
“The federation is putting in place the processes to start identifying the next generation of top swimmers who will, in turn, lead us to glory in the next few years,” Seahorses Club coach Peter Mwangangi, who coached Olengo in his formative years, affirmed.
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