By Staff Reporter, Dar es Salaam
Tanzanian swimmers are set to benefit from world-class coaching following the launch of the Tanzania Performance Development Series 2026, a three-week programme designed to develop young athletes, strengthen local coaching capacity, and educate parents on supporting sporting excellence.
The programme, organised by RaceBetter in partnership with Monti AquaForce, will be held from July 28 to August 14 at Monti International School’s Mikocheni Campus in Dar es Salaam. It will be led by internationally acclaimed swimming coach and RaceBetter founder Ben Lee, who is expected to arrive in Dar es Salaam on Monday from USA.
The Founder and Director of Monti International School, Fatma Fernandes, said the initiative marks the beginning of a long-term partnership aimed at strengthening swimming development in Tanzania by combining international expertise with local leadership to create sustainable pathways from grassroots participation to elite competition.
The series will begin with a Coach Development Workshop from July 28 to 30, bringing together swimming coaches, teachers, and club leaders. The workshop is intended to enhance coaching standards while enabling local coaches to learn from and work alongside Ben Lee throughout the athlete training camps.
“Three age-based training camps will follow. A Beginner Development Camp for swimmers aged 6–8 years will run from July 30 to August 1, followed by an Intermediate Development Camp for athletes aged 9–12 years from August 3 to 7. The programme will conclude with an Advanced Performance Camp for swimmers aged 13 years and above from August 10 to 14.
“A Parent Education Series, offered free of charge, will also run alongside the camps. The sessions will focus on athlete nutrition and recovery, building confidence and resilience, and helping families develop healthy routines that support young athletes both in and out of the pool,” she said.
The programme will be hosted at Monti International School’s 25-metre Olympic short-course swimming pool, providing participants with access to a competition-standard training facility. Organisers said enrolment has been deliberately limited to allow for small-group coaching and personalised instruction.
Ben Lee, whose coaching career spans developmental, collegiate, and Olympic-level swimming, said the programme is designed to develop people as much as performance.
“Our goal is not simply to produce faster swimmers. It is to help people become more capable, confident, and prepared for whatever comes next,” he said.
Lee has coached athletes who have progressed to leading NCAA programmes and international competitions, while also working with swimming clubs, schools, and national federations around the world.
