Excitement is mounting ahead of the 2026 Ikoyi Club/Zenith Bank Inter-School Swimming Gala scheduled for Saturday, May 23, at the Swimming Section of Ikoyi Club 1938 in Lagos.
The annual championship, now in its ninth edition, has become one of Nigeria’s leading youth swimming competitions, giving young athletes the opportunity to display their talents and compete at a high level.
Organisers said this year’s edition is expected to attract no fewer than 20 schools, with participants set to compete in various swimming events including freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke, butterfly and individual medley races.
Race categories will also be adjusted to suit different age groups to encourage wider participation and healthy competition.
The organisers credited the sustained success of the competition to the continued support of Zenith Bank, whose partnership has helped establish the gala as a major platform for grassroots sports and youth development.
Chairman of the Swimming Section of Ikoyi Club 1938, Akinbulejo Onabolu, expressed satisfaction with the level of interest already shown ahead of the competition.
According to him, the event remains one of the club’s major developmental programmes aimed at discovering and grooming young swimming talents across the country.
He noted that several young athletes who participated in previous editions had continued to make significant progress in the sport, describing it as motivation to keep investing in youth development through swimming.
Onabolu also praised Zenith Bank for its consistent support and commitment to empowering young athletes and promoting sporting excellence in Nigeria.
He added that preparations had been completed for what promises to be another exciting and highly competitive edition of the championship.
