Western swimmers making waves despite limited pools, coaching gaps

A shortage of qualified coaches and limited access to competition-standard facilities have not diminished the ambitions of western Jamaica’s swimming fraternity, which is determined to strengthen the region’s competitive programme and develop athletes capable of excelling at the highest levels of the sport.

The swimming fraternity says that while western Jamaica has made strides in competitive swimming, improving coaching resources and access to suitable facilities will be critical to taking the sport to the next level.

Paul Campbell, owner of SailFish Swim Academy, highlighted the difficulty of finding suitably qualified local instructors, explaining that the shortage has forced the institution to look overseas for coaches to train its swimmers.