Jacqueline Macharia at a past Masters event/HANDOUTTeam Kenya are bullish about a strong performance at the World Masters Swimming Championships in Singapore from August 7-14.
The seven-man team have had an intensive three-month training stint and is relishing the battle for the week-long championship.
The team has seasoned swimmers, all above 25 years old, who have met stringent qualification times under World Aquatics standards.
Coach-cum-swimmer Jacqueline Macharia is relishing the battle.
“We’ve been preparing for months with discipline and passion. The team is ready — physically, mentally, and emotionally — to fly the flag high in Singapore," she said.
"This is not just about competition; it’s about rewriting Kenya’s sporting narrative and proving that swimming is not just for the young or elite, but for life.”
Macharia expects Masters swimming to grow in the next couple of years.
"It will be a game-changer. I expect the numbers to grow in the coming months and years. We will have more local competitions," added the Team Kenya coach.
While several other Kenyan swimmers achieved the qualifying marks, financial constraints meant only eight could commit to the trip.
Macharia will be accompanied by Linah Akoth, Susan Kahumbu, Isaac Litaba, Wanja Michuki, Anthony Ng'eny, Mia Kimani and Nyawira Wanjihia.
Kenya Aquatics technical director, Omar Ali Omari, said: "This is more than participation — it’s the beginning of a new chapter. Masters swimming is gaining momentum globally, and Kenya is now officially on that map."
The team leaves this week with the hope of acclimatising to the warm and humid weather in the city-state in time for the championships.
The championships — a biennial event that attracts thousands of swimmers, divers, water polo players, and open water athletes aged 25 and above — will feature over 10,000 participants from more than 100 countries.
