60 participate in beginners’ swimming programme in Berbice

Sixty persons, including adults, participated in a three-week swimming programme for beginners in Berbice; and the Sport Ministry is planning to continue the programme and provide coaching for those desirous of participating in the Ministry of Education’s Schools National Athletics Championships.
The beginners’ swimming programme, held at the GuySuCo pool in Albion, East Berbice, concluded on Friday.
Organised by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and the National Sports Commission, it targeted persons who don’t know to swim, and young individuals from the age of 6 years old.
According to Regional Sports Officer Randy Mangru, the programme was initially for the 6-to-18 age group, but there was a high demand from adults in the region, hence it was extended to older persons.
“We, at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and the National Sports Commission, have recognized that there in not a lot of young swimmers when it comes to athletes at the national level, and so we have identified that there is the need for athletes to be trained, and young individuals to be trained and brought out into swimming,” Mangru told this publication.
The programme commenced on April 3 and concluded on April 14. The 12-day training programme was similar to others held in other parts of the country. Programmes were also held in the mining town of Linden, Region Ten (Upper Demerara-Berbice); Liliendaal, Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica); and Albion, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne). “What we had was persons coming out to learn the basic techniques to swim,” Mangru added.
Questioned why, despite Region Six having riverine communities with very good swimmers, none of them participate in swimming at the Ministry of Education’s Schools National Athletics Championships, the sports officer said plans are afoot to prepare them for pool swimming.
“Because of the good feedback that we are getting and the high demand for the programme in Region Six, we will be bringing the programme back and having it at least twice per month,” Mangru divulged.
The sports officer said remote communities would be targeted, and where needed, transportation would be provided for those persons.
“Be assured that the programme has not ended, it is just that the Easter programme has concluded and we will be bringing back the ‘learn to swim’ programme,” he said.
He also disclosed there are plans to have an advanced programme, so that persons can prepare themselves to compete at the national level. “We will be teaching persons other techniques which will prepare them for competition,” Mangru added.