Uganda Aquatics Eyes Open Water Swimming to Expand Reach

Uganda Aquatics (UAq) is considering a shift towards open water swimming to broaden its reach and engage a wider population in aquatic sports. The high cost of constructing and maintaining swimming pools makes it a significant barrier to establishing facilities nationwide.

During a recent assembly, UAq officials and stakeholders discussed innovative approaches to meet the National Sports Act 2023 requirements, which mandate activities in 75 percent of Uganda’s districts. “There is a lot of potential out there but we need to be careful about how we bring it out,” remarked UAq president Moses Mwase, acknowledging the prevalence of children swimming in natural water bodies across Uganda.

Maureen Awori from Tororo district highlighted the situation in her area, where children regularly swim in a large river for leisure. She expressed a desire to provide them with proper training and standards, emphasizing the need for support.

Experienced coach Abel Ddamulira suggested mirroring Africa Aquatics’ focus on utilizing existing water bodies for open water swimming. He pointed out the impracticality of promoting pool swimming when the federation lacks its own pool. “A training pool of three or four lanes could costs no lower than Shs180m,” he noted, questioning the feasibility of such an investment across numerous districts.

Delegates proposed leveraging natural resources like lakes and rivers, particularly near schools, for training and competition. The idea includes training regional coaches and teachers to oversee these activities. Furthermore, engaging local leaders, headteachers, and councillors is deemed crucial for program implementation and community buy-in.

Alternative solutions are also being explored, such as collaborating with hotels in various districts to create training and competition venues. UAq aims to establish district-level competitions, starting from primary school levels, to nurture talent and promote aquatic disciplines more effectively.