As the school year draws to an end, students around campus can be overheard discussing their summer plans, which include lucrative internships, entry-level jobs and soul searching trips. None of these ventures, however, seem as exciting as what member of the swim team Joshua Tibatemwa ’19 has in store: an opportunity to represent Uganda in the 2016 Olympics in Rio as a swimmer.
“It’s been kind of my dream, really,” Tibatemwa said.
(Photo by Justin Hayworth/Grinnell College)
Tibatemwa will be competing in the 50-meter freestyle, a short race that is over in a matter of seconds. Tibatemwa’s time of 25.54 seconds, recorded at the 2014 World Championships in Russia, is the fastest in Ugandan history. Just last week, Tibatemwa competed in a meet in Iowa City and came within a half of a second of besting this time.
Despite being the fastest swimmer in Uganda, Tibatemwa has not officially been named to the Olympic team. The process of selecting swimmers to represent Uganda takes into consideration more than just time, but also a swimmer’s overall performance since the last Olympics. But according to Tibatemwa and assistant swimming and diving coach Tim Hammond, for all practical purposes Tibatemwa can expect to participate in Rio as there are only a handful of qualified swimmers in the country.
“From my communication with the Ugandan Swimming Federation we, as well as they, expect Joshua to be competing at the Olympics. But understandably they want to take the time they are allowed before finalizing any decisions,” Hammond said.
After the London 2012 Olympics, a friend told Tibatemwa that he should spend the next four years training hard for a chance to compete in Rio this year. In a country where there are not that many competitive swimmers, Tibatemwa knew that this was feasible. After establishing himself as one of Uganda’s best swimmers in high school, Tibatemwa chose to come to Grinnell, a place where he could continue competing both athletically and academically.
Even though the swim season has ended, Tibatemwa has continued to train with Hammond and head coach Erin Hurley.
“Since he is training for only the 50 freestyle, his training is quite different than what we do during our varsity season,” Hammond wrote. “The training sessions are shorter in distance and time than our varsity season practices.
Now, as the Olympics draw closer, Tibatemwa has considered the prospect of making a splash in Rio.
“I am kind of realistic so I am not thinking I will be the next Michael Phelps,” Tibatemwa said.
Tibatemwa believes that he can still make a difference by swimming in the Olympics. In countries like the United States, there is quite an extensive swimming community in place and this facilitates high levels of competition and player development. Tibatemwa hopes that his participation in Rio can help kick start a similar community Uganda.
“Swimming is relatively new in Uganda, so just to have a Ugandan go down there and do well, and well is subjective, but relative to what we have done before, will help start that community,” Tibatemwa said. “I think a lot of people are just afraid to try because we don’t have a longstanding community.”
Regardless of what happens before, after and during the Olympics, Tibatemwa will no doubt have a summer that he will remember for the rest of his life, and that is something worthwhile itself.
