Mount Kenya Aquatic stakeholders have vowed to revitalise swimming in the region.
A virtual meeting of over 70 aquatic stakeholders from the region agreed to support the sport following the successful national short course championship in Thika last weekend.
The meeting drew a diverse group, including coaches, parents, officials, school administrators and senior swimmers from Kiambu, Laikipia, Nyandarua, Nyeri, Embu, Meru, Tharaka Nthi, Nakuru, Kirinyaga, and Muranga.
Director of Swim Safe Kenya Sam Okatso called for the formalisation of county and club structures through registration with the Sports Registrar.
He highlighted the critical need for authentic qualifications among coaches, particularly emphasising lifeguard certification to combat the prevalence of unqualified individuals posing risks under false credentials.
Okatso expressed concern over the rising drowning incidents and attributed it to the employment of uncertified personnel in schools and hotels.
"The cases we are seeing not only in the region but the country do not bode well for the sport and something needs to be done in the long term," added Okatso.
The stakeholders collectively agreed to boycott unsanctioned meets, saying they were detrimental to both talent development and financial investments by parents.
They resolved to establish a harmonised regional calendar and a database to track swimmers' rankings and accumulated FINA points.
A commitment to adopting a high-performance training regimen, including early morning schedules, was also made to elevate the athletes' competitive edge.
Kenya Aquatics Technical Committee's chairman Omar Ali Omari lauded the recent improvement in performance national championship at Mpesa Foundation Academy.
He, however, stressed the need for professional development among coaches to boost their ability to nurture top-tier swimmers.
"As coaches, we need to do more to nurture talent in the country,” he noted.
