Visa Dolphins swimming club intensifies training ahead of Kiambu aquatics championships

By Mbati Wesonga (Photos by Samwuel Maina) The Visa Dolphins swimming club has intensified their training preparations ahead of the upcoming Kiambu Aquatics Sprints and Relays Swimming Championships scheduled to be held at Potterhouse Senior School in Runda, Kiambu county on March 24 and 15, 2026. Kiambu County Aquatics Association has organized a sprints and relays swimming championship which is a short course gala, typically held in a 25 meter pool length. Considered faster due to the more frequent turns and under water kicks, the competition period is normally between September to March every swimming season. According to Visa Dolphins Swim Club head coach Japheth Onkoba Ogeto, the team is working on lactate production, power, stroke specific sets. "In our programme, the team have incorporated stroke count, stroke rate, timing and heart rate. Our goal is to improve 1% in every training session so that we are able to conquer in swimming competitions nationally and ultimately produce Olympic level athletes," Ogeto said. Mohammed Bashir, a 17 year old athlete at Visa Dolphin Swim Club, who is preparing to compete in the upcoming competition said that they are doing a combination of exercise drills which include dry land exercises for body physical fitness conditioning and breathing technics. The team is holding two training sessions per day, in the morning and evening for four days in a week. Mohammed's goal is to be the best swimmer in his age category this season and win during the Kiambu County Aquatics Association awards gala to be held at the end of the season which shall be in June 2026. Kiambu Aquatics Public Relations Officer, Ex-Corporal Nesmas Wesonga Mbati said that the winning team of the season shall be awarded league cash awards of Ksh 50,000 with the second placed team pocketing Ksh 30,000 and Ksh 20,000 for the bronze winner courtesy of Genesis Sports Limited, who are the official sponsors of the awarding ceremony. They will also sponsor individual trophies to the best swimmers of the year in their respective categories which they have been doing for the last five years. Cash awards for the league winners is a new sponsorship deal that has been signed for the season which started in August 2025 and will end in July 2026. Another swimmer Shannel Wanjiku Njoka says she was inspired by her father who was a former swimmer and won many medals. Her mother as well encouraged her to join a swimming club and she says that she is looking forward to compete in the upcoming championship Sprints are short distance events , typically 50m or 100m, focusing on speed and power . An athlete can compete as an individual or Relays which refers to team events where multiple swimmers participate, either in freestyle or medley formats. Medley refers to combination of swimming styes namely front crawl, breast , butterfly and back strokes. Coach Ogeto of Visa Dolphin Swim club which trains at Westland’s Primary School is a certified level 4 America Swimming Coaches Association (ASCA), Certified Kenya Swimming Teacher's and coaches association (KSTCA) , Certified Lifeguard by Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA). Teams that have confirmed participation in the KCAA Sprints and relays swimming championship on 14-15 March 2026 at Potterhouse Senior school include: 1. Braeburn Club 2. Visa dolphin 3. Beapro Club 4. The Harpoons 5. Genesis Club 6. Snook club 7. Goldfish swim school Kenya 8. Ripples Swim club 9. Chantilly School 10. Beapro Swim club 11. Jawabu School 12. Wave warriors swimming club 13. Swimming Talents 14.Potterhouse School 15.Elite Aqua Warriors 16.Hydra Aquatics