The Gambia Swimming and Aquatic Sports Association is organising its first 500 meters Open Water competition at the Palma Rima Beach Hotel on 8 May, Pointsport can reveal.
The championship, according to information gathered by The Point, is open to all good swimmers above 18 years of age in both the male and female categories including the non-registered clubs.
Interested swimmers can just call the following technical committee members and register but late registration according to the officials of the association will not be considered for inclusion.
Interested parties are urged to contact the Technical Committee members for registration or send e-mail to The Gambia-swimming-federation@hotmail.com
The following numbers can also be contacted: Cherno Krubally - 3667649 and Salifu Touray - 9959373.
The cardinal objective of the competition is to bring together all the swimmers to demonstrate their marathon swimming skills. "This will help the association to scout out good open water swimmers for the national open water team," they said.
All swimmers from the fire and rescue services and the Gambia Navy are invited to take part in the competition.
Other objectives of the exercise are to promote, encourage, organize and develop Open Water Swimming and other related aquatic activities in The Gambia; and to boost the morals and inject confidence and courage in the young Gambians that love the beaches (e.g. Sunday beaches in particular).
This will reduce the number of death or fatal accidents registered during Sunday Beach activities, among other safety measures, to help those who think they can swim but end up drowning or losing their lives attempting to save others.
The event will provide a platform for marathon specialists to start competing at standardize competition with the rules of the FINA applied.
The dissemination of the information should go far and beyond the Kombos to reach the coastal side of the country in due course.
The Gambia Swimming and Aquatic Sports Association was established on 19 February 2011.
