Kenya Youth Slowly Turning to Open Water Swimming;
Young people from the Kenya are increasingly embracing open water swimming, thanks to a free training program at Courtesy Beach in Ruiru led by Coach Monica Githinji.
Monica launched the initiative after returning from Singapore, where she accompanied Team Kenya to the World Aquatics Open Water Swimming Championship. She served as deputy to renowned coach Fakhry Mansoor during the event.
Reflecting on her experience, Monica expressed gratitude to Kenya Aquatics for giving her international exposure. “I interacted with coaches from countries like Greece, Singapore, the U.S., Australia, South Africa, and China—some of them women—and I felt inspired. I also gained practical knowledge on athlete feeding during long-distance races, such as the 10km category. I promised myself that once back home, I would start an open water training program for the youth as a way of giving back to the community,” she said.
She added that her goal is to raise the quality of training to international standards and help local swimmers progress to World Aquatics Championships and eventually the Olympics.
In partnership with Kenya Aquatics, Monica has organized the inaugural Open Water Swimming Talent Identification Program, scheduled for 30th August 2025. The event will introduce more people to the sport, which has long been overlooked in the region.
Currently, the program has 15 registered members, with hopes of expanding to at least 100 participants. It also welcomes masters swimmers interested in fitness and recreational training.
Beyond this initiative, Monica serves as a coach at Juja Preparatory and Senior School and sits on the committee of Kiambu Aquatics. She is also part of the national technical committee on open water swimming, which is developing a training curriculum for local coaches.
Her efforts mark an important step in diversifying Kenya’s sporting culture and creating opportunities for young athletes in an emerging discipline.