The 11th edition of the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS)/National Open Swimming Championship held in Port Harcourt concluded on Sunday with Team Delta emerging as the overall winner of the four-day competition.
The championship drew at least 200 amateur swimmers from various parts of the country, including military, paramilitary, and participating states such as Rivers, Edo, Bayelsa, Imo, Ondo, Anambra, Enugu, Kaduna, and Kano.
The event featured 38 events, including 30 individual events and eight relay events.
Participants competed in thrilling events such as the 200 meters backstroke, 200m butterfly, 200m breaststroke, 500m freestyle, 200m individual medley, 4x100m mixed medley relay, and 4x100m mixed freestyle relay, among others.
Based on the medals table provided by the organizers, Team Delta emerged victorious with a total of 28 medals comprising 12 gold, eight silver, and eight bronze, outshining other teams.
The Nigeria Police Force secured second place with eight gold, one silver, and three bronze medals, while the Nigerian Army clinched third place with five gold, five silver, and ten bronze medals.
On the other hand, the Nigerian Navy placed sixth overall with a medals haul of two gold, four silver, and two bronze medals.
Speaking during the closing ceremony, Rear Adm. Kennedy Ezete, the Chief of Administration, Nigerian Navy, said that the championship was aimed at developing and nurturing youths’ skills for future swimming tournaments while providing them with the opportunity to develop physically, socially, and mentally.
The President of Nigeria Aquatic Federation, Mrs Chinonye Aliyu, expressed her gratitude to the Nigerian Navy for sponsoring the championship, adding that the event had proven to be instrumental in discovering talents.
She also stated that the competition served as a platform to identify swimmers for the upcoming 13th African Games to be hosted by Ghana in March and the Olympic Games in July.
In terms of rewards, swimmers who emerged victorious in the relay category received N60,000 for a gold medal, N40,000 for a silver medal, and N20,000 for a bronze medal.
In contrast, the winners of individual events received N30,000 for a gold medal, N20,000 for a silver medal, and N10,000 for a bronze medal.
Overall, the CNS championship was a remarkable event that provided a platform for amateur swimmers to showcase their skills and discover new talents for future international competitions.
