Kenya Aquatics Technical Director ( TD) Omar Omari has unveiled a structure to establish swimming Talent Identification and High-Performance Training Centres across the country that will use local schools and swimming clubs as their base.
Speaking on Thursday in Nairobi, Omari said the initiative will help identify promising swimmers early and provide them with the right environment, coaching, and support to grow into national and international competitors by partnering with local schools and swimming clubs.
"These centres will form the backbone of our talent development system. They will help us identify swimmers early, support them through structured training, and prepare them for higher levels of competition,” said Omari adding that it's a move aimed at strengthening the development of competitive swimming, creating a clear pathway for young swimmers to reach elite levels.
Omari further explained that programs will be implemented through partnerships between Kenya Aquatics and selected schools and swimming clubs that already run structured training programs.
" The Kenya Aquatics Technical Committee, working together with the Coaching Commission, Governance, Finance and other relevant committees, will coordinate the initiative by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with institutions that meet the federation’s standards," Omari continued.
Under the program, clubs and schools that qualify will receive a Certificate of Recognition and will be officially designated as Kenya Aquatics Talent Identification (Scouting) Training Centres.
He added that the long-term plan is to establish recognized training centres in every region of the country, creating a strong national network that feeds talent into the federation’s technical programs and national teams.
To ensure quality and consistency, Kenya Aquatics has set clear requirements that schools and clubs must meet before being certified as talent development centres.
Among the key requirements is that the team and its swimmers must be fully affiliated with Kenya Aquatics and have paid membership to the federation.
Each centre must also be led by a coach with at least a Level 3 coaching certification and with clear understanding of high-performance swimming training.
All coaches attached to the program must also undergo training in anti-doping, safeguarding, and child protection policies, and must have no criminal background.
In addition, teams must have basic swimming training equipment, maintain a minimum of three training sessions per week, and demonstrate active participation in national competitions.
A centre will also be required to have at least five swimmers participating in the National Championships, or swimmers whose performance times fall within the Kenya Aquatics Motivational Times for the 2025–2030 cycle.
Institutions that meet these standards will receive a certificate that will be renewed annually, subject to review and continued compliance with the federation’s requirements.
