PREPARATIONS for this year’s National Para Swimming Championship, scheduled to take place at Shaaban Robert Secondary School in Dar es Salaam, are at an advanced stage, organizers have confirmed.

Tanzania Para Swimming Association (TPSA) secretary general, Ramadhan Namkomveka (pictured), said preparations for the event, set for next weekend, are progressing well and expressed confidence that everything will go as planned.

This will be the third edition of the national championship, whose main objective is to identify and nurture new para swimming talent in the country.

Namkomveka revealed that TPSA is still seeking TSh 16 million to adequately prepare for the upcoming National Para Swimming Talent Identification Gala.

He called upon swimmers with disabilities from across the country, including those outside Dar es Salaam, to register for the event, noting that wider participation will increase the chances of discovering new talent for the national team.

“Preparations for next weekend’s Para Swimming Championship are going on very well and I am confident everything will proceed as planned. We encourage interested swimmers to register now through various TPSA platforms, and we also appeal to the corporate sector and other stakeholders to support us, as the door remains open,” he said.

Namkomveka further stressed that the championship’s mission is to identify talent among swimmers with physical, visual, and intellectual impairments, including those with cerebral palsy, autism, and Down syndrome.

“Furthermore, these games aim to develop skills, promote participation, and raise awareness about the importance of sports for people with disabilities in the country,” he added.

He said TPSA will use the championship to identify athletes who will form the national para swimming team that will represent Tanzania in international competitions.

“Our primary goal is to build a national team capable of competing internationally and eventually realizing the dream of representing Tanzania at the Paralympic Games, starting with the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics,” he said.

Namkomveka urged all para swimmers to continue their preparations for the event.

“We urge swimmers to train and prepare thoroughly so that we can improve the quality of the competition each year,” he emphasized.

As of last year, Tanzania had only one para swimmer, Gerald Sokolo, who is certified by the World Para Swimming Association (WPSA).

He explained that classification is essential for all para swimmers, who are placed into 14 classes: classes 1–10 for athletes with physical impairments, 11–13 for those who are blind or visually impaired, and class 14 for those with intellectual impairments.

Namkomveka assured the public that TPSA is committed to ensuring more local para swimmers are certified by WPSA in the near future.