Tanzanian Swimmer, Moshi, finds the going tough

The stadium of Universiade Sports Center Aquatic complex, where the competition took place

Moshi during the swimming competition

By Mwita Mwaikenda

Shenzhen, China, August, 15-Tanzanian swimmer, Magdalena Ruth Moshi, has started her first swimming competition today for the 26th Summer Universiade.

Moshi, the only Tanzanian representative in the swimming competition finished third in her heat, using 1:05:39(minutes) but unfortunately didn’t qualify for the finals.

In a packed stadium of Universiade Sports Center Aquatic complex, Moshi, who also participated in the Shangai Olympic in China in 2008, has presented Tanzania in various international competitions, including the World Championship in 2007, Ten Commonwealth in 2010, and World Championship in 2011 and the World Short Course in 2010.

Aside of her vast experience in swimming, Moshi who started swimming for the national team since 2007, faced stiff challenge, as some participants are Olympic medallists, which proved itself by a Chinese swimmer, Tang Yi, who broke the Universiade records for 54:24(sec).

Speaking of her swimming career, Moshi said, it is very hard balancing training and studying, but with all the hard work, ‘it is worthy presenting my country and seeing all these people have come to cheer up’

Although she is not pleased with the attitude of Tanzanian media, of only concentrating on participants winning medals, that is ‘what matters to them, and if you don’t win a medal they say bad things about you, but the young people should not be discouraged about this’

She sees the swimming in Tanzania as growing, ‘although there is a lot of politics’ she adds.

Moshi, a second year student of bachelor of Health Sciences at Australia University, will be swimming again on 18th on 50 metre freestyle.