By Augustine Kalu on January 19, 2017

The maiden edition of President Muhammadu Buhari National Open Water Swimming Championship is to hold from 16 to19 of next month all things being equal. This much was revealed to Daily Sports by the President of the Nigeria Aquatics Federation (NaqF), Babatunde Fatayi Williams in exclusive telephone interview during on Monday.

The National Youth Open Water Swimming Championship is to hold in Jabi, Abuja as part of the effort to develop Open Water Swimming in the country. The championship ought to have taken place last month but has to be shifted to February as a result of the cold weather in the country.

According to Williams, the date of the championship was decided at the meeting of the Committee on President Buhari National Youth Open Water Swimming Championship which held in Abuja last week.

“The latest development in respect of the maiden edition of President Muhammadu Buhari National Open Water Swimming Championship is that the date for the championship has been decided,” Williams stated.

“The date for championship is February 16 -19. The date for the championship was decided at the meeting of the technical committee of the maiden edition of President Buhari National Youth Open Championship held in Abuja last week.

“Of course the venue remains Jabi Lake, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. As we speak, the water has been examined and found to be healthy for the championship. So work has commenced in earnest to ensure that the championship is a huge success,” Williams explained.

“In order to ensure that the championship does not have any hitch, a planning and implementation committee headed by Distinguished Senator Kabiru Gaya was constituted. The committee is to serve as the Main Organising Committee of the championship.

“We have already implored the services of the security agencies to clear the place for the championship. It is going to be a huge and successful championship,” Williams assured.

Speaking further, he explained that already they Federation have stated sending invitations to states, security and paramilitary agencies for entries for the championship.

“As a part of effort to ensure a successful championship, the Nigeria Aquatics Federation have started sending invitations to states, security and paramilitary agencies for entries for the championship.

“The championship has been categorised into two, namely the senior and junior categories. In the senior category, invitations have been sent to states to register their elite swimmers and this is the category where security and paramilitary agencies are to register their athletes. In this category we have two sub categories made up of both male and female.

“Under this senior category, the age bracket is 20-39 and athletes are to compete in 5-3 kilometers while in the junior category, athletes are to be in the age bracket of 14-19 years and they are to compete in 3 -1 kilometers swimming race.

“This championship holds very bright prospects as we are getting sponsors and more are indicting interest. So, we are very optimistic that this maiden edition of President Muhammadu Buhari National Youth Open Water Swimming Championship is going to be a huge success and for it to be an annual event in the calendar of the Federation like the Chief of naval Staff open Swimming Championship,” Williams enthused.

Corroborating Williams positing, the Chairman of the Open Water of the Nigeria Aquatics Federation, Rev. Samuel Jesimiel, expressed optimism that the championship is going to be a huge success considering the caliber and commitment of those behind the championship. He explained that as the chairman of NaqF Open Water and a member of the Technical Committee of CANA Open Water, no stone will be left unturned to ensure the success of the championship.      According to Jesimiel, work on the implementation of the technical aspect of the championship has commenced with the Senator Gaya led committee and others working towards the success of the Presidential National Youth Open Water swimming Championship.

The Oracle Today Sports was reliably informed that President Buhari is very much interested in the Presidential National Youth Open Water Swimming Championship as he has never hidden his passion for aquatics sports.

According to our source, when the idea was brought to him, he didn’t waste any time in giving approval with a proviso that government money should not be used to finance the championship. Our source also recalled that just few months after taking over the reins of power in 2015, the then Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Al Hassan Yakmut led a delegation of Nigerian athletes to the Aso Rock Villa to meet with him, there and there he asked them about a multi medal sports like swimming indication his love for aquatics sports.

Source Daily Sports

Posted January 19, 2017

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