Not fewer than 36 children participated in the maiden Joe Blankson Foundation Swimming Competition on Saturday
The one-day annual Competition was held at the Swimming pool of the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Package B, Abuja.
The children consisted of school students across FCT ranging from ages of 8, 11 and 13.
Speaking at the venue of the Competition, Mercy Joe Blankson, the founder, Joe Blankson Foundation said the event was held in remembrance of her husband who died while saving 14 lives in a river.
She said, “The program is to honour what my husband died for. So, I set up a swimming Competition to show the world the importance of swimming.
She added, “Joe Blankson died saving people in water. He was travelling to his home town, Bakana, and in the process their boat capsized and he was able to save 13 but in the process of saving the live of the 14th person he lost his life.”
“And that was what led to the establishment of the foundation. The Foundation is to teach children and adults on how to swim. Swimming, aside being as exercise, is also a mean of survival .
She added that the foundation target is to promote swimming across Africa. “It is a swimming competition for children to promote sport across Africa. 36 children are participating in the competition. The children are from different schools in FCT. We have U-8, U-11 and U13 competitions.” She concluded.
