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The first-ever Youth Programme of a FINA World Swimming Championships, developed by Qatar Olympic Committee under the patronage of General Secretary His Excellency Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman al-Thani and FINA, successfully came to an end this week at the Aspire Zone, Doha. A total of 136 countries sent two of their best swimmers aged 14-16 with their coaches to take part in the week-long programme. US top-level coach Todd Schmitz, who led Missy Franklin to Olympic glory at the 2012 London Olympics, ran the programme with a 10-strong coaching staff. |
The Youth Programme is part of Qatar’s commitment as host nation to help support the development of swimming around the world. The initiative provided an opportunity for emerging young swimmers to gain exposure to major international events and familiarize themselves with a competition week format, as well as learn from the most talented coaches and star athletes in the sport today.
Looking back at the fruitful week, Schmitz can only see the bright side: “I saw three young athletes from Ecuador, Guatemala and Honduras the other day. They were all three together in different jackets, giggling and laughing the entire time. To see the change from the first day and now is so much important and that is what this programme is all about.”
“Swimming is a life-long sport and programmes like this just continue to fill that passion and excitement and it makes these kids want to compete at World Championships,” Schmitz continued.
On why the programme targets the 14-16 age group, the US head coach said: “Because this is the best age; you start to mature and this is really where we either keep swimmers in the sport or lose them. This programme really needs to continue because this is the future of the sport of swimming.
Without a doubt, such undertaking will help develop swimming around the world: “The facility that I have is a six-lane 25-yard pool and some of the coaches came in thinking that I had a facility like the Aspire Zone’s 50-metre swimming pool, but I don’t. Almost 90 percent of Missy’s (Franklin) training is done in a 25-yard pool and I don’t think any of them realised."
