Lawyer Mohammed Muniru Kassim (in jacket)
explaining a point at the media briefing. With him are officials and swimmer Abeiku Jackson (3rd L)
Officials of the Ghana Swimming Association (GSA) and their swimmers (Team Ghana) have stated they have put in much by way of preparation to host the continent from March 5 to 7 in Accra.
The GSA’s scribe, Mohammed Muniru Kassim, said in a press briefing yesterday in Accra that the 7th African Zone II Swimming Championship will attract 22 countries.
He mentioned that the GSA has purposed to use the hosting of the tournament ? which comprises swimming and open water event ? as a springboard to make swimming more popular and build on it in a sense that it wants it to be.
“The competition is the first-ever international swimming championship to be held in Ghana, and it is a FINA-approved Olympic qualification event for Tokyo 2020,” he added.
And to Abeiku Jackson, a key member of Team Ghana, he is ready and will use the forthcoming tournament as a stepping stone for the 2020 Olympics.
He stated that committees-sponsorship and fundraising, logistics and transport, ceremonies, protocol, accommodation and media have been set up to ensure efficient and effective hosting of the tournament.
Hundred and sixty swimmers, 20 swimming federation heads and two national coaches from Nigeria, Niger, Mali, Togo, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Equatorial Guinea, Liberia, Senegal, The Gambia, Central African Republic, Gabon, DR Congo, Sierra Leone, Benin, Cape Verde, Côe d’Ivoire, Chad, Cameroun and Ghana.
At the CANA Zone II Bureau General Assembly held last December, Ghana was selected to host the 2020 edition, and it will be held at the Bukom International Swimming Pool of the Trust Sports Emporium, while the open water event will also take place at Aqua Safari at Ada on March 8.
By Kofi Owusu Aduonum