New African Swimming Chief Says Collaboration Critical

(ATR) Sam Ramsamy tells Around the Rings a "very aggressive" development program will top his agenda as head of the African Swimming Confederation.

The IOC member for South Africa spoke to ATR from Kenya, where he won election Thursday over Nigeria’s Thomas Olatokunboh on the sidelines of the 11th African Swimming Championships in Nairobi.

"I’m glad that I got in excess of 70 percent of the votes," Ramsamy said. "I was secretary general for the last 12 years, and I felt that I needed to go higher up. I had excellent support."

According to the FINA vice president and now CANA president, the biennial championships went "superbly well" with athletes from 14 countries swimming Monday to Sunday at the Moi International Sports Center.

Even without its medalists from the 2012 Olympics competing, South Africa easily topped the medal count with 51 total, 29 of them gold.

Tunisia, the other African country to reach the podium in London, was second in golds won but well behind Egypt in terms of total medals.

"It’s interesting that we’re getting Kenya, Senegal, Algeria and Angola also coming in," Ramsamy told ATR, referencing the rest of the medals table from Nairobi.

"That’s very encouraging for the future of African swimming."

Asked what Africa must do to get more countries in the mix both on the continental level as well as at the World Aquatics Championships and Olympic Games, he insisted a "very aggressive" development program emphasizing collaboration will be critical for the future of CANA.

"What I intend to do is try to have assemblies of the relatively top swimmers," he said, admitting some professionals would refuse to participate in such collective events.

"Nevertheless, the majority will take part, especially before the Olympic Games and before the World Aquatics Championships when, a week in advance, CANA could have a clinic and get-together of all the swimmers because there will be role models and one swimmer will learn from another swimmer from another country."

Ramsamy pointed to one such camp for African athletes conducted in Atlanta en route to the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Games.

"That’s what I intend to do," he said.

Reported by Matthew Grayson

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