JUST three weeks after the Learn to Swim Programme commenced at the Colgrain Swimming Pool under Japanese female instructor Kumiko Inzunuka, there has been a lot of progress in both the children and adult classes. Inzunuka’s service was provided to the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport (MCYS) compliments of the Embassy of Japan in Guyana.
Yesterday, Director of Sport Neil Kumar visited the pool during one of Inzunuka’s classes and she took a few minutes to speak with him and the media.
The coach was quite eager to work; she has displayed her dedication and patience to the sport by coaching both mornings and afternoons. She coaches children at two levels, from age five to sixteen and also two levels in adult classes with about 16-25 persons per class on a Monday to Friday basis.
She said that the learners have about four to six months of training before they are ready to graduate to the Aquatic Centre in Liliendaal because it is important to have more basic training.
Once the swimmers graduate they will be under the coaching arm of female instructor Isabel Maria Couso Fals of Cuba who operates at the Aquatic Centre.
Inzunuka told Kumar that she was very pleased to coach and would like to return to do it again.
When asked what she thought of the Aquactic Centre she stated that it was good for international training but not competitions since it does not have a warm-up pool. She added that it needs light for night swimming and also well aligned lanes.
Kumar disclosed that systems have been put in place to commence the installation of the 25-metre warm-up pool at the Aquatic Centre.
Kumar noted that Izunuka has been doing a very good job and has been working very hard since the programme started.
He also stated that it is crucial for the sport to have a good foundation since the programme was developed to target mostly schoolchildren.