Bangladesh Navy, in association with the Bangladesh Swimming Federation, will launch a nationwide talent hunt programme in search of swimming talents next week, officials said on Friday.
The mega programme titled ‘Bangladesh Looking for Best Swimmer’ will get underway at Syed Nazrul Islam National Swimming Complex on May 19.The Bangladesh Swimming Federation president and chief of naval staff Admiral Nizamuddin Ahmed is expected to personally monitor the programme, which will cost Tk 5 crore.
‘The whole idea came out of his [navy chief] mind,’ said Laila Nur, the head of training and development of the federation. ‘We have already discussed the matter with the representatives of all DSAs [District Sports Association], who will play an important role to find out new talents.’
Coaches of Bangladesh Navy and federation, under the guidance of national team’s South Korean coach Park Tae Goon, will initially pick over 800 male and female swimmers in four different age groups [Under-11 to 12, Under-13-14, Under-15 to 17 and Over-17 to 20].
They will gradually trim it down to 60 swimmers in phases before undertaking two long two-year training programme in Dhaka.
‘Park will supervise the overall programme and our local coaches, including me and federation vice-president Abdul Mannan will assist him,’ said Nur, herself a former swimmer.
‘We will prefer the young swimmer with strong physique. The interested swimmer will have to register their name online,’ she said.
-With New Age input
