BLUEFINS Swimming Club's performers will be all out to defend their crown in the FK Blue Marlins invitational swimming gala to be held at the FK International Schools swimming pool in Dar es Salaam this weekend.

The outfit, also the gala's defending champion, has selected a strong team of 45 swimmers for the showdown, which includes a mixture of experienced swimmers and some young swimmers who will be getting a taste of competitive swimming for the first time.

"We continue to provide the platform for young and talented swimmers to start their swimming journey from a young age- as long as they have the potential and the enthusiasm to develop their talent," Rahim Alidina, the club’s head coach and founder noted.

"Our youngest swimmer in this gala will be six-year-old Abbas Hemani, who will be participating in a competitive gala for the first time,” Alidina remarked.

Alidina said they have selected seven-year-old talented swimmers to be part of our team for the event aiming at giving the experiences and exposure.

“Besides the young and upcoming talent that we will have at the gala, our team will have some experienced swimmers, some of whom have also represented Tanzania's national team at some point," the outfit's founder pointed out.

"They are Aaliya Takim, Sahal Harunani, and Kabeer Lakhani, who are part of Tanzania's national swimming team and will also be in action at the gala this weekend representing our club,” he said.

He said his squad gears towards having intensive training under the panel of coaches, adding the latter expects the swimmers to do well and record Personal Best times (PBs).

The team will consist of 13 female and 32 male swimmers. The full squad, which will represent Bluefins Swim Club in the gala this weekend, is made up of Aaliya Takim, Sakina Abdulali, Aaradhya Barmeda, Inaya Raheel, Rania Noorani, Huda Tamim, Sukaina Ladha, Ithra Kahemele, Imaan Kimario, Ayreen Lakhani, Amatullah Mustansir, Maahira Noorani, and Irhaa Raheel.

Male swimmers on the team are Burhanuddin Jivajee, Sahal Harunani, Kabeer Lakhani, Burhanuddin Jafferjee, Hussein Abbas, Ryan Muwanga, Burhanuddin Yusuf, Abbas Abdulali, Shuneal Bharwani, Burhanuddin Abdulkadir, Gulamabbas Dewji, and Hassan Harunani.

Others are Justin Wabbi, Burhanuddin Fazleabbas, Adam Hassanali, Uzair Harunani, Shabbir Hatim, Abbas Hemani, Taher Zavery, Burhanuddin Hatim and Sahil Jaffer.

Also in the list are Moiz Kaderbhai, Burhanddin Huzeifa, Qais KAnji, Rayyan Kassam, Saalih Mbonde, Burhanuddin Mustansir, Haadi Meghji, Is-Haq Suleiman, Zaeem Somji, Austin Wabbi, and Idris Zavery.