Legon Sharks triumph at Channel One TV national swimming championship

Channel One TV, successfully hosted the second edition of the National Swimming Championship at the Borteyman Sports Complex in Accra, marking a weekend of intense competition and outstanding performances. 

The two-day event, held on July 13 and 14, showcased remarkable swimming talent, personal bests, and new records.

Over 200 swimmers from 12 clubs across Ghana competed in various age categories, including Under 10, Under 13, and 14 and over. Clubs represented included African Sharks, Dolphin Swim Center, Dolphin Swim Club Kumasi, Gh Aquatic Masters, Gh Dolphins, Ghana BlueFins Swim Club, Legon Swimming Club, Marlins, Tema Seals Swim Team, The Monarch Swimming Academy, Torpedo Swimming Club, and Turtle Swim School.

The state-of-the-art Aquatic Swimming Centre at the Borteyman Sports Complex, Ghana’s first Olympic Standard Swimming Pool with a 1,000-seater capacity, served as the perfect venue for the event. 

The championship adhered to the stringent regulations set forth by World Aquatics and African Aquatics governing bodies, establishing itself as a premier platform for nurturing and showcasing swimming excellence.

The highlight of the competition was the Legon Sharks, who emerged as the overall best-performing team, dethroning the defending champions, the Marlin Swim Team. The Legon Sharks clinched the top spot by winning an impressive 179 medals across both male and female divisions. The GH Dolphins secured second place with 170 medals, while the Marlins finished third with a total of 137 medals.

Legon Swimming Club’s Head Coach, Daniel Opare, emphasized the significance of the event for swimmers, stating, “The two-day championship is important for our swimmers. It’s one event they always look forward to as it showcases their progress. It gives them the avenue to drop their times.”

Despite not retaining the top position, Lady Rowena Majid-Michel, a coach at the Marlins Swim Club, expressed pride in her team’s performance. “Just like last year, we did our best. We had some very good time drops and exciting moments. We are very proud of our performance, although the GH Dolphins and Legon Sharks really brought their A-game.”

Delphina Quaye, the President of the Ghana Swimming Association, highlighted the bright future of swimming in Ghana. She praised the young swimmers, noting, “There is hope for the Association.

 Seeing these young swimmers swim at this age means we have a long way to go but there is hope. From now till they are 18 or 20 years, teaching will still be in session, and we will be raising better swimmers.”

Quaye also emphasized the importance of consistent training at the Borteyman Sports Complex to improve Ghanaian swimmers’ times. “This is a world-class pool. With consistent training here, in less than a year, you will see improvement.”

The Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the 2023 African Games, Dr. Kwaku Ofosu-Asare, expressed his excitement over the post-Games utilization of the facility. “I’m super excited that after the Games, the facilities are being used. 

The Swimming Federation has done extremely well consistently using the facility. When you have such facilities, you can unearth and develop talents. I’m very glad we are witnessing this important competition.”

Dr. Ofosu-Asare also advocated for sports administrators to adopt the public-private partnership model to maximize the use of sports facilities in Ghana.

The championship not only highlighted the competitive spirit and talent of Ghanaian swimmers but also underscored the potential for future success on international stages, including the upcoming Olympics in Paris.

Benjamin Nketsia, the head of the sports desk at Channel One TV and Citi FM, said the competition has been a fulfilment and promises that the third edition will top what has already transpired.

“The two-day event is our way of helping to nurture the next generation of swimmers, and being able to see parents excited about their kids competing gives us a lot of fulfilment.

“We can assure all stakeholders involved that the third edition will top what has already transpired,” he said.

After a successful second edition of the National Swimming Championship, swimmers, coaches and teams are looking forward to the third edition in 2025.  

The 2024 National Swimming Competition was powered by Channel One TV and Citi FM in partnership with the Ghana Swimmers Association (GSA) and sponsored by Spring Consult and Peeva Beverages.

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