Elite Swim & Gym: Child’s Talent Inspires Parents to Set up Fina Standard Pool, ‘Bailout’ Uganda’s Sports

As most of the sports administrators are in serious scandals of misusing government funds meant to set up facilities to help in developing, nurture and grooming talents and uplifting sports in the country, a 13 year old swimmer, Heer Hitesh Usadadiya inspired his parents to set up a FINA standard pool.

The evening of Tuesday 06, December 2022 went in the records as a new dawn for Uganda’s Swimming, a 25m FINA Standard Pool,Elite Swim and Gym in Ntinda was officially opened.

The Indian-Ugandan citizens, the Hitesh Usadadiya family put a multi billion facility that was aimed at uplifting swimming in Uganda and according to Mrs. Fahia Hitesh Usadadiya, the wife to Hitesh Usadadiya, they were motivated by their 13year old son who proved to them that he has exceptional talent in swimming.

“It’s a family project, I and my husband came out to put up a facility for all Ugandans, the motivation, I can say it came from our son, he has been a swimmer for so long, for five years, we have been training in different pools but we didn’t know that he will be competitive and being interested in taking it to another level.” Says Mrs. Fahia Hitesh.

She adds, ” So when found out he is really into the pool and we didn’t have any facility, the idea came, why don’t we put up a facility, a swimming pool and a gym next to each other. 

Now no worries, it’s here and purely sports oriented, it’s like a school, kids come here and training, morning and evening, we have professional trainers and we believe in two years, Uganda will be having many good swimmers competing at continent and International level because we got what we have been lacking.

According to Fahia, a month, one pays 350,000/- to use both pool and Gym.

The national swimmer at under age category, Heer Hitesh Usadadiya who inspired his parents to put up a facility, knowingly or unknowingly bailed out Uganda’s Sport but revealed he wasn’t the sole reason as to why a facility was set up, though he was part in the architectural process.

“I was not exactly who persuaded them to build this facility, in fact I am not the sole reason for the construction of this facility because my parents always talk to me when am training, ask how I feel and they noticed that we lack a good pool, and I never expected them to fix the challenge.” Heer Hitesh Usadadiya revealed.

“But I would say, two to three months before construction started, that’s when my parents had talked to me about the idea of this place, I was really into the game called Craft, basically it’s about building and creativity, and so I remember it was a Sunday morning, I asked fo the plans, of course, so on one to one scale, I replicated the place and I think that’s really motivated them (parents) to go on with the project because of how enthusiastic I was.” He explained.

The Uganda Olympic Committee president, Dr. Donald Rukare congratulated the family for putting up a facility that is good for the growth of sports in Uganda.

“We’re happy that people like Me and Mrs Hitesh Usadadiya set up a facility like this, we believe this is going to help swimming and other sport disciplines, clubs like Gators going to benefit a lot, so I congratulate this family and also ask others and the government to set up such.” Said Donald Rukare.

Namanda Hadija,a parent to a swimmer in names of Kirabo Namutebi revealed how honored they are as parents of swimmers, having such a facility.

“We are so privileged and honored to have such a facility amidst us during a time when swimming is a sport that is upcoming and getting recognition at continent and world stage, recently we have got medals in World Islamic games, senior swimming Championship CANA, so courtesy of this facility, we have a standard starting blocks which are a must for somebody to be comfortable with when going for competitions….the facility is purely sports oriented, it has gym with professional body conditioning coaches, it’s the first of it’s kind in Uganda, so I ask even other sport disciplines to make a use of this facility.” Said Namanda.

According to Donald Rukare, Uganda has like 15 standards pools, but this one is the only one which is fully sports oriented.