Over 200 Swimmers to Compete in National Long Distance Swimming Championship

Around 200 swimmers have registered to participate in the National Long Distance Swimming Championship, according to the Swimming Association of Maldives.

The event will be held on February 25 at Kudagiri Picnic Island in Kaafu atoll. The registration for the competition closed on February 16. The participants are set to compete in four different categories.

The National Long Distance Swimming Championship is returning after a three-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Categories in the Championship

1. National Senior Swimmers (5 km)

2. National Junior Swimmers (3km)

3. Swimming Challenge Senior (1 km)

4. Swimming Challenge Senior (500m)

The most competitive of the four categories will be the national-level senior swimmers' category of five kilometres. Swimmers born before 2009 are eligible for the category. Ali Imman and Aishath Saajina won the senior swimming category of the previous long distance swimming competition.

The championship will also feature a special category for junior swimmers of three kilometre. Swimmers born in 2009, 2010 and 2011 are eligible to participate in this category. The senior and children's categories of the Swimming Challenge will be non-competitive. Participants in the senior category will swim for one kilometre. Those born before 2012 are eligible to compete in the category.

Participants in the kids category of the Swimming Challenge will swim for 500 metres. The category is open to children born in 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015.

"The two swimming challenge categories are for 'enjoyment swimming' There will be no winners in the two events," the Swimming Association official said.