USF embraces open water swimming

Open water swimming is finally here! At the start of this year's swimming campaign, Uganda Swimming Federation had a lot to promise.

Among these promises, open water swimming looked like sheer lip service. But fast forward the country is set to witness a practical launch Saturday at Aero Beach in Entebbe.

The beauty of this project is that it will open the gates to the masses. There has always been a general feeling that there are potentially good swimmers in the vicinity of natural water bodies.

They usually grow up accustomed to the waters and certainly from a surface understanding turning into competitive swimmers comes with a natural advantage.

"We are breaking new ground and of course there is a likelihood of working with new people and that involves participants from areas we had not reached. So it's a new challenge altogether," said Moses Mwase, general secretary USF.

An open water sprint is going to highlight the exercise. But as they set out to launch the exciting sport, can the federation handle the rigours of this version of swimming?

Of course, they are not necessarily expected to quickly turn straw into gold as first-timers.

"Honestly it comes with a lot of challenges. There are so many concerns here. We are required to do a lot of education, and then there is a specialised kind of training, new material used to aid the sport. But the key thing is that we are willing to go all out," Mwase reasons.

Meanwhile, on the same day, USF will hold the International Aquatics Day celebration which will begin with a march in Entebbe town.