The organizers of the Ibadan Age Grade Swimming competition are thrilled with the overwhelming response, having recorded a total of 103 registrations as of Monday evening. The event, now in its second edition, is scheduled to take place on Friday, April 18, and Saturday, April 19, at the University of Ibadan swimming pool.
The participating teams have shown impressive enthusiasm, with notable registrations including 22 athletes from the University of Ife, comprising 13 females and 9 males. Jossy Swimming Club has registered 35 swimmers, while the host University of Ibadan will field 15 athletes, consisting of 9 males and 6 females. Other participating teams include Crossil with 3 swimmers, Smart with 6 athletes, and Sharks Squad with 20 swimmers. Two swimmers have also registered as unattached.
According to the convener of the event, 15-year-old Oluwatimilehin Olaiya, the competition is expected to start at 9 am each day. Olaiya expressed excitement about the registrations, stating, “We are so happy and excited about the registration and many are still coming. I am optimistic that this will be better than the last event because we have started preparation earlier and everything is going on smoothly.”
Olaiya further emphasized the readiness of the technical team, saying, “Our technical team is also ready and we believe this event will be the rallying point in swimming every year.” With expectations of more entries before the event starts, the Ibadan Age Grade Swimming competition promises to be an exciting and highly competitive affair, adding spice to the forthcoming Easter celebrations of swimming enthusiasts.