Dar es Salaam. Naithan Sabibi of Mwanza Swim Club has emerged as one of the strongest performers at the Tanzania National Open Championships 2026, while the women’s competition has produced a three way battle between Crissa Dillip, Nicolene Viljoen and Gabriella Ndyanabo.
The championships, being held at the Monti International School Pool, have provided a useful measure of the depth of Tanzania’s swimming talent, with swimmers competing across freestyle, backstroke, butterfly, breaststroke, and individual medley events.
Sabibi, 12, has been particularly impressive in the boys’ events. Representing Mwanza Swim Club, he won the 100m freestyle in 1:01.59, before adding victories in the 200m individual medley in 2:34.10 and 100m backstroke in 1:12.73.
His versatility was further underlined by victories in the 50m butterfly, where he clocked 31.98, and the 200m breaststroke in 2:54.58. He also won the 50m breaststroke in 35.89, giving him six individual victories from the events covered in the results.
His performances make Sabibi the clearest male standout so far, particularly because his wins have come in different strokes rather than being concentrated in one discipline.
Among the women, Dillip has again demonstrated why she is regarded as one of the country’s leading young swimmers. The 15 year old from Taliss International School (Taliss IST) won the 100m freestyle in 59.65 seconds and the 100m backstroke in 1:04.75, with the latter marked as a national record in the results.
Dillip also dominated the 50m butterfly, winning in 30.02 seconds, and took the 50m breaststroke in 35.91. Her 50m butterfly performance was particularly notable because it was recorded as a national record in the results.
Riptide Swim Club’s Viljoen has provided another major highlight. The 14 year old won the 800m freestyle in 9:36.26, the 200m breaststroke in 2:46.90, the 400m individual medley in 5:13.31 and the 100m butterfly in 1:10.07. Her 200m breaststroke time was also recorded as a national record.
Ndyanabo, also of Riptide, has been equally consistent. She won the 100m freestyle, 100m backstroke, 50m butterfly and 50m breaststroke in the 13 to 14 age group.
