Tanzania's swimming coach John Belela has expressed confidence in his team's ability to deliver encouraging performances at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games. The Games, which began in Senegal on Saturday, will feature four Tanzanian swimmers: Crissa Dennis Dillip and Filbertha De Mello in the women's category, and Zac Okumu and Austin Okore in the men's events. Belela believes the swimmers have prepared well for the international challenge and can make the most of the opportunity to compete against some of the world's promising young athletes.
The Tanzanian swimming team is part of a larger delegation of six athletes competing in three sports at the Games, which run from October 31 to November 13. The other representatives are middle-distance runner Emmanuel Damas and judoka Ashraf Issa Juma. Belela said the swimmers were in good shape ahead of the competition, expressing confidence that their preparations would help them produce positive results in Dakar. The swimmers have been using a recent competition in Uganda as a preparatory event.
The competition in Uganda provided the swimmers with an opportunity to test their readiness against regional opponents before turning their attention to the bigger international stage. Their participation in Dakar will also provide a valuable assessment of Tanzania's progress in developing young swimming talent, particularly as the country seeks to strengthen its presence in international aquatic competitions. The swimmers are expected to compete in freestyle and backstroke events over 50 metres, 100 metres and 200 metres.
Crissa, one of Tanzania's promising young swimmers, has already demonstrated encouraging form in domestic competitions. At the Taliss-IST Invitational Swimming Championships, she recorded 27.83 seconds in the girls' 13 to 14-year-old 50-metre freestyle, improving on her entry time of 28.35 seconds. She also improved her times in the 100-metre and 200-metre freestyle events, providing useful benchmarks as she prepares to face stronger international opposition.
However, the challenge in Dakar will be to translate domestic performances and regional experience into competitive results against swimmers from other parts of the world. Belela's optimism is shared by the Tanzania Olympic Committee (TOC), which has been coordinating preparations for the delegation, including training arrangements, uniforms and competition equipment. TOC vice-president and head of delegation Nasra Mohamed said the preparations had been completed.
Nasra Mohamed urged the athletes to demonstrate their abilities when competition begins. The Dakar Games carry particular significance for African sport, with Senegal becoming the first African country to host the Youth Olympic Games. The event is expected to bring together thousands of young athletes from across the world. The Games provide a unique opportunity for Tanzanian athletes to compete at the international level.
The Tanzanian team's performance in Dakar will be closely watched, as it seeks to build on its recent progress in developing young swimming talent. With their preparations complete, the swimmers are set to take on the best young athletes from around the world. The experience gained in Dakar will be invaluable for the team's future development.
Key points
- Tanzania's swimming team is competing in the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games with four athletes: Crissa Dennis Dillip, Filbertha De Mello, Zac Okumu, and Austin Okore.
- The team's coach, John Belela, is optimistic about their chances of delivering encouraging performances.
- The Games provide a valuable opportunity for Tanzanian athletes to compete at the international level and gain experience.
