PIPSSA Eastlands Swimming Championships canceled

The 2023 edition of the Private and International Preparatory Schools Sports Association (PIPSSA) Eastlands Swimming Championships scheduled for Saturday 8 April has been canceled.

The development, confirmed in a statement from the PIPSSA-Kenya Secretariat, cited a ‘serious security breach’ that occurred at the proposed venue - Umoja 1 Primary School as the reason for not hosting the invitational championship that was meant to push the sport’s growth in the Eastlands area.

“In the last 24 hours, a serious security breach of the venue occurred and the PIPSSA Kenya Secretariat through its security organ has hence found it fit to call off the event,” part of the PIPSSA Kenya statement read. “We thus send our most sincere apologies to teams that had prepared and sent entries in preparation for the event.”

Various media houses this week reported of multiple shootings that occurred at the Umoja 1 swimming pool from an ‘unattached’ police officer who as per The Star, was alleged to be bodyguard to Embakasi West Member of Parliament Mark Mureithi Mwenje.

“We continue to appreciate your relentless support to our events and in return, we endeavor to ensure our events are organized in the best interest of our children,” PIPSSA Kenya’s announcement read. “We will strive to provide safe, secure and friendly environments as the best platforms to expose talents.”

The Eastlands event was set to involve over 20 schools around the Nairobi area and as Events Coordinator Mark Gaya had confirmed to Mozzart Sport last week, the championships were part of the organization’s plan to reach out to the grassroots and involve areas that didn't actively take part in swimming.

PIPSSA Kenya in association with the Mount Kenya Swimming Bloc on Saturday held the third edition of the Mount Kenya Swimming Bloc Championships at the M-Pesa Foundation School in Thika - where defending champions St. Christopher School Nanyuki pipped Loreto Convent Valley Road to win the overall championship.

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A group of over 150 swimmers in the event and two other invitational championships held in Nairobi and Nanyuki are expected to participate in April’s Kampala Invitational Swimming Championships and later in the Hamilton Aquatics Development Swimming Championships set for June.

“We remain committed to serving you [sports stakeholders] with our children’s best interests at our hearts,” PIPSSA wrote.

The next event on the calendar will now see PIPSSA host the PIPSSA Invitational Swimming Championships at the Moi Educational Centre in Nairobi on 3-4 June 2023 with the Rift Valley Swimming Championships set to be hosted at the Shah Lalji Academy, Nakuru following up on 10th June 2023.