By Rasaq Oboirien
Ikedichi Kanu, Chairman of the Swimming Section at Ikoyi Club 1938, has announced that all necessary safety protocols are in place for Saturday’s inaugural Inter-School Swimming Competition, sponsored by NNPC-SNEPCo (Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited).
A total of 274 students from 20 primary and secondary schools in Lagos will participate in this one-day event at the Swimming Section of the prestigious Ikoyi Club 1938.
During a media briefing on Wednesday, Kanu highlighted the importance of safety precautions, stating that they are in collaboration with NNPC-SNEPCo.
“The Swimming Section has a dedicated Technical Sports Committee that has made significant arrangements to ensure safety, including strict protocols. There will be a medical booth staffed by two nurses and a doctor at the entrance to the pool, along with a fully stocked First Aid kit.
“An ambulance will be on-site, lifeguards will be stationed around the pool, and security personnel will also be present,” he assured.
Akinbulejo Onabolu, Vice Chairman and Games Captain of the Swimming Section, added that Ikoyi Club 1938 features two large pools: the family pool will be closed for the duration of the event, while access to the competition pool will be restricted. Lifeguards will monitor both pools to ensure safety.
With 274 young swimmers aged six to 15 participating in various events, including freestyle, butterfly, breaststroke, backstroke, and individual medley, Kanu emphasized that the essence of the event is to nurture talents for future international swimming competitions.
“The participation is all-inclusive, and we plan to hold this event annually. A total of 20 schools registered before the deadline, resulting in the selection of 274 students from various schools across Lagos for Saturday’s competition.
“We are committed to enhancing the quality of swimming competitions and expect more swimmers to join in future events. The competition format will undergo some updates as well. This Saturday’s event will be live-streamed on our social media platforms. Additionally, all 274 swimmers will have Swim Cloud accounts to maintain their personal information and event rankings.”
Onabolu further explained the organization of the event: “The seeding process will streamline the proceedings, allowing for more efficient heat placements and reducing the time spent on various categories.
“We focus on introducing the sport to young swimmers, so instead of cash rewards, we will be awarding medals to the first, second, and third place participants, as well as to sixth place in all categories.
“In future competitions, we plan to implement electronic timing; however, results from Saturday’s events will be announced in real-time.”
Akintayo Adenubi, Head of Sponsorship for the Swimming Section, and Secretary Babatunde Pearse expressed their gratitude to NNPC-SNEPCo for sponsoring the event.
“It has been a challenging year in Nigeria. Securing a new sponsor during this time is significant for us. We envision this championship as an annual event, aiming to continually improve a