Kiambu technical director, Nahashon Otieno, believes Kenyan swimmers can achieve the A standard qualification times for the Olympics and no longer need to rely on wild cards or Universality places.
The country has for the longest time relied on token placements from the World Aquatics and the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
However, Otieno feels that with a better-structured format and talent identification, Kenyan swimmers can attain the qualification standards to the global stage.
“Going forward, there is a plan to do talent identification for the swimmers to start early. With a rigorous age-grade set up across all the swimming counties, the federation can produce swimmers who can go all the way to the world stage.”
Otieno hopes Kenya Aquatics can lay a foundation on which swimmers can use to qualify with the A standard, starting with the Olympics in 2032 in Brisbane and the World Championships in subsequent years.
“I believe with the robust plan which our technical director, Omar Omari, is coming up with, we should be able to have those plans finalised in the coming years.”
Otieno said the county is gearing up for the season finale—Kiambu Minnows Gala—slated for July 14 at Potterhouse School, Runda, where Orca Swim Club will be targeting to continue with their rich vein of form.
“We have had a competitive season, and now we look forward to the final event of the calendar in the next two months with top teams expected,” added Otieno.
Orca were unstoppable in the Kiambu sprint relays held at Regis Runda on May 24-25. They bagged 104 medals—55 gold, 28 silver and 21 bronze medals.
Crwaford International School finished a close second with 98 medals—33 golds, 29 silver and 36 bronze while Woodcreek School took third with 49 medals, 21 gold, 14 silver and 14 bronze medals.
Omari has also urged coaches, team managers, and former athletes across the country to register for the upcoming American Swimming Coaches Association (ASCA) certification levels one to four slated for August 11-16.
He said the training will greatly elevate the standard of coaching in Kenya and empower local mentors to grow the sport further.
