Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s top male swimmer, Collins Saliboko, will travel directly to Oran, Algeria from South Africa ahead of the 2026 Africa Aquatics Swimming Championships scheduled from May 5 to 10.
This was revealed by Tanzania’s national swimming team manager, Hadija Shebe, in an interview with The Citizen yesterday.
Hadija said that Collins, who is among the 17 swimmers selected for the event, is currently training in South Africa in a special camp. She explained that the experienced swimmer competed alongside others during the National Swimming Championships held a few weeks ago before returning to South Africa for the final phase of his preparations.
Apart from that, Hadija said that two swimmers, Kaysan Kachra and Aminaz Kachra, are training in Mombasa, Kenya, and will join the team during the national flag handover ceremony scheduled to take place in Dar es Salaam over the weekend.
She further explained that Ethan Makala and Ibrahim Igoro are training in Mwanza, while Nicolene Johannes Viljoen, Zack Okumu, and Abbas Salum Abdulali are training in Arusha.
“We have 11 swimmers training in Dar es Salaam. Others who are not here are training under qualified coaches. This is normal in the sport,” said Hadija.
Swimmers currently training in Dar es Salaam include Bridget Donyo Heep, Crissa Denis Dillip, Filbertha Demello, Michael Joseph, Zainab Moosajee, Fidel Marsell Kavishe, Lorita Borega, Luke Okore, and Kabeer Rizwan Lakhani. The group is under the guidance of head coaches Ally Msazi and Radhia Shabani Gereza.
Hadija said the team is aiming for strong results at the championships.
“I am confident Tanzania will return home proud with medals and make history,” she said.
She added that the team is expected to depart on Sunday evening for Algeria. The delegation will also include technical officials as Tanzania seeks to make an impact on the continental stage.
According to Hadija, the early departure is part of a strategy to ensure proper acclimatization ahead of the competition.
“Arriving early will allow the team to adjust to the conditions in Algeria and fine tune their preparations. This will give them the best possible chance to perform at their peak,” she noted.
The swimmers head into the championships boosted by encouraging performances in recent local and regional competitions. Several athletes have shown steady improvement, raising hopes for stronger results, including potential podium finishes.
Originally scheduled to be held in Ghana, the championships were relocated to Oran after the West African nation withdrew. Despite the change in venue, Tanzania’s preparations have remained on track, with training programmes continuing as planned.
Organised by the African Swimming Confederation, the biennial event brings together the continent’s top swimmers and offers a key platform for elite competition and international exposure.
For Tanzania, the focus goes beyond winning medals, as the championships are also seen as an important benchmark in the country’s long term swimming development.
All eyes will now be on Oran as Tanzania’s swimmers prepare to test themselves against Africa’s best.
