The Arusha International Masters Swimming Championship is set to begin today, September 25, 2025, at UWC East Africa, Arusha Campus. The two-day event, organised by the Tanzania Masters Swimming Committee in collaboration with Prime Sports Agency, will feature swimmers from Tanzania and beyond. The championship aims to create a platform for Masters swimmers to compete, network, and promote healthy lifestyles through swimming.
Prime Sports Agency chairman Lameck Borega stated that the championship is designed to create a platform for Masters swimmers to continue competing while strengthening interaction among athletes from different countries and age groups. The event will feature swimmers aged from 25 to 29 years through to those aged 95 to 99 and above. This wide age range highlights the inclusivity of Masters swimming.
The championship will accommodate differently abled and Paralympic Masters swimmers, with participants requiring special assistance allowed to compete when accompanied by a guardian or coach. Competition will be conducted under World Aquatics regulations covering starts, stroke execution, turns, and finishes. All events will be run as timed finals, while heats will be seeded according to swimmers' entry times.
Today's action starts at 2 pm, following a warm-up session from noon to 1:45 pm. Tomorrow, swimmers will warm up from 7:30 am to 8:45 am before competition resumes at 9 am. Medals will be awarded to the top three finishers in each individual event, while every participant will receive a certificate of participation. Relay events will also be included in the program.
Borega emphasised that the organisers are keen to make the championship more than a series of races, with cultural exchange and interaction forming part of the wider experience. Masters swimming gives people an opportunity to remain active and competitive at an age when many have already left competitive sport.
The competition is expected to provide an opportunity for swimmers from different generations and backgrounds to exchange experiences and build friendships through sport. Participation has been open through team entries, with teams not necessarily required to represent registered clubs or recognised countries. Entries opened on August 2 and closed on September 11.
Accreditation has been emphasised by organisers, with swimmers and team managers required to collect identification tags before competition. Participants without proper accreditation will not be allowed into the venue. The championship comes as Tanzania seeks to expand Masters swimming and create more opportunities for athletes to remain involved in competitive sport beyond their traditional competitive years.
Key points
- The Arusha International Masters Swimming Championship features swimmers from different age groups, ranging from 25 to 99 years and above.
- The event aims to promote healthy lifestyles through swimming and provide a platform for Masters swimmers to compete and network.
- The championship is open to differently abled and Paralympic Masters swimmers, with participants requiring special assistance allowed to compete with a guardian or coach.
