Two Tanzania swimmers book places in Youth Olympic Games

Dennis Mhini (left) and Sonia Tumiotto during a past swimming competition in the city. PHOTO | MAJUTO OMARY

What you need to know:

  • The swimmers are Sonia Tumiotto – who will feature in the girls’ category – and Dennis Mhini who will compete in boys’ category.

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania will field two swimmers in the Olympics Games for Youths scheduled to take place in Buenos Aires, Argentina, later this month.

The swimmers are Sonia Tumiotto – who will feature in the girls’ category – and Dennis Mhini who will compete in boys’ category. The acting secretary general of the Tanzania Swimming Association (TSA), Inviolata Itatiro, said the two swimmers are considered to be the best to represent the country, in terms of the criteria issued by the ‘Fédération Internationale de Natation’ (the International Swimming Federation, Fina).

According to Inviolata, the Fina criteria require that a swimmer must be born between January 01, 2000 and December 31, 2003; must have participated in the ‘Tanzania National Championships’; must have participated in the ‘FINA World Championships’ (50m), must have set the ‘best times;’ must have attended a preparation training programme – and must show bona fide commitment.

In that regard, Inviolata, Sonia and Dennis meet the criteria.

Inviolata says Sonia (who born in July 2001), clocked 1.00.90 in the ‘100m freestyle,’ and 2.11.01 in the ‘200m freestyle,’ during the 17th Fina World Championships held in Budapest, Hungary, from July 14 to 30, 2017.

She also said that Dennis clocked 59.58 in the ‘100m freestyle;’ 29.15 in the ‘50m butterfly,’ and 30.60 in the ‘50m backstroke’ during the sixth edition of the Fina World Junior swimming championships held in Indianapolis, the United States, from August 23 to 28, 2017.

“We have met the criteria to select the swimmers as per the international swimming governing body (Fina), as well as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) – although the two swimmers have been given the ‘Argentina’ chance through Universalities,” Inviolata explained.