Over 100 young swimmers from across Rwanda showcased their talent and growing skills during the Summer Swim Festival, a one-day competition held on Saturday at the La Palisse Hotel swimming pool in Nyamata, Bugesera District. The event brought together nine teams across the country, uniting participants in a friendly but competitive environment designed to sharpen swimming techniques and promote grassroots talent in the sport. Organized by Party Swim Club in partnership with Les Dauphins Swimming Club, the Aquatics festival featured five major events—Freestyle, Breaststroke, Butterfly, and the team-based Medley Relay—offering a platform for swimmers aged 8 and above to test their abilities. ALSO READ: Over 140 selected for 2026 Youth Olympic Games preparations The nine participating swimming clubs represented at the competition included Les Dauphins Swimming Club, Party Swim Club, Aqua Waves Swimming Club, a team representing Karongi District, Cut Fish Club, Gisenyi Beach Swimming Club, Rubavu Sporting Club, Rwamagana Canoe Swim Club, and Rwesero Swim Club. Athletes competed in four age categories namely those aged between 8-10, 11-13, 14-16 and those aged above 17 years. Depending on the swimming stroke, participants raced in distances of 50 meters, 100 meters, and 200 meters. All competitions were held in accordance with the official rules of the World Aquatics Federation. ALSO READ: Ugandans dominate Mako Sharks championship The highlight of the swim festival was the 4x100m Medley Relay, which featured mixed-gender teams of four swimmers. The relay involved a combination of strokes in sequence: Backstroke, Breaststroke, Butterfly, and Freestyle. Karongi claimed first place, followed by Party Swim Club, while Les Dauphins completed the podium in third place. “Winning the cup means a lot to our team. We ask our district leadership to support us in returning to regular competition, as it's been eight months since our last one,” said Eric Iradukunda who plays for Karongi.
