Delivered by World Aquatics’ experts, the training course aimed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the Discover Water programme and the responsibilities of Country Leads, guide the development of a structured curriculum, and equip participants with the skills to train and support local educators.
Launched on World Drowning Day 2024 ahead of the Olympic Games Paris 2024, the innovative programme offers a range of educational tools to enable young children from around the world to safely embrace aquatics sports and learn vital skills in an engaging manner.
Discover Water takes a collaborative approach with World Aquatics’ Members to executing activations, and the training course in Malawi was a key milestone in implementing the programme on the African continent.
Image Source: Participants in Malawi enjoyed a range of interactive sessions (World Aquatics)
Country Leads nominated by their National Federations enjoyed a range of interactive sessions, including discussions on the importance of developing physical literacy, planning for implementation of Discover Water Programme locally, identifying key partners, and building a national educators learning community.
In addition, the event concluded with the opportunity for the Country Leads to practise implementing Discover Water activities in Malawi, with 50 children aged between six and 12 learning about water safety, the environment and the Olympic values.
One of the most famous names in open water swimming, three-time Olympian Leonie Beck understands as well as anyone the life-changing impact that developing aquatic literacy at an early age can have.
“What made me love the water was I grew up with my siblings in the swimming pool in a sports team. Now I spend so much time in the water and I can really let my mind run free when I’m swimming, and this is something I really appreciate,” she reflected.
Beck was in attendance in Malawi to learn more about the Discover Water programme, and to promote water safety and participation in aquatic sports – two topics which are close to her heart. She shared her experience and expertise with Country Leads as part of the training course, and wants to use her platform to give back to the global aquatics community and make a powerful impact on young people.
Image Source: Leonie Beck wants to use her platform to give back to the global aquatics community (World Aquatics)
“As a swimmer, I am really happy to be part of the Discover Water programme. I think it is very important that everyone has the chance to learn swimming. This sport is such a great sport – it gives you so many skills you can have for the rest of your life, so it is always nice to participate,” Beck said.
“I am really happy that I am here in Malawi. I saw a group of interested and very motivated professionals and trainers from 15 different countries working together, fully engaged in the process and dedicated to a common cause”
“The experts who delivered the course, Viv Holt and Sven Spannekrebs, facilitated learning in an interactive and participation-based manner in order to develop the necessary skills of Country Leads to implement the Discover Water programme in their countries.”
Beck additionally highlighted that the vital role of World Aquatics and the global aquatics family through the Discover Water programme in helping to reduce the risk of drowning globally.
“The Discover Water programme not only provides the skills to teach children to swim, but also helps to develop an understanding on how to act in different bodies of water. The conditions are completely different if you are in a pool, the sea, a lake or a river,” she said.
“It is really important that the children understand that nature can act in a way you do not expect, and it can be really dangerous if you do not learn how to act with the current or waves, for example.
“I think everyone should have the possibility to learn swimming in a fun way. It is one of the most important things to prevent drowning.”
The training course in Malawi brought together Country Leads from across the continent, and they unanimously appreciated the opportunity to work with World Aquatics, meet with their peers, exchange knowledge and learn as a group.
“Meeting other Country Leads and not just individuals from my country was very important and it was such an eye-opener, because I got to learn about different situations and different countries. Some countries are advanced in certain areas we are not, and some countries I could share what we do in our country to help solve issues,” Puni Gaetsewe from Botswana commented.
Image Source: Country Leads valued the opportunity to work with World Aquatics and their peers from across Africa (World Aquatics)
Johathan Amoako-Atta from Ghana concurred, adding: “Having participants from various countries in Africa is good for all. I have colleagues I can rely on for further explanation or information, and we can help each other through listening.
“I really think having a well-rounded base gives you strength and the ability to enjoy what you are doing, and this goes beyond even swimming.”
The training allowed the participants to gain a greater understanding of the Discover Water programme, and provided important learnings to each of the Country Leads. This will enhance the delivery of Discover Water in their respective countries.
Image Source: The training in Malawi provided Country Leads with a greater understanding of the Discover Water programme (World Aquatics)
Gaetsewe reflected: “Physical literacy is important in the swimming sense, but it’s not just swimming. What I loved is that it’s the development of the whole being.
“I learned how to engage with kids and how to approach learning in a holistic manner. The teachings stay with them for life, and it’s lovely that from a very young age you start learning about other aspects of your lives.”
The focus on physical literacy in the training course was also appreciated by Amoako-Atta.
“The Discover Water Course challenged our thinking and the way we have implemented learn to swim programmes”
“This is the first time I am understanding physical literacy and the importance of having a well-rounded programme – not just the development of the physical skills, but it allowed us to understand how cognitive, social and psychological aspects can be developed through swimming. It is a very good base for children to learn and enjoy water, and ultimately bind themselves to be part of aquatics activities for life,” he said.
Image Source: Discover Water includes an important focus on developing physical literacy (World Aquatics)
To support the implementation of Discover Water, World Aquatics developed a toolkit which includes activity sheets, guidance on programme development, observation and evaluation methods, and training guidance for local educators.
“The Discover Water Toolkit is quite detailed. It comes as a guide and provides a clear pathway of what should be done to develop and deliver the Discover Water programme in my country”
The launch of Discover Water followed research and extensive consultations with World Aquatics’ experts and partners to develop a programme which capitalises on the aquatics community’s unique position to promote water safety.
World Aquatics continues to make progress on working collaboratively with National Federations and implementing the programme globally.
HANOVER, N.H. – The Dartmouth men’s and women’s track and field teams hosted the Ivy vs. America East Challenge, marking their final home meet of the indoor season.
Both teams had impressive finishes, placing first overall. The women wrapped up the meet with a final score of 73.83, while the men finished with a score of 63.
Andie Murray won the women’s 500m, finishing the race in 1:15.39. Emmy Thornton clinched the 800m with a final time of 2:20.65. Claire McDonald placed first in the 3000m with her 9:59.68 mark. Mariella Schweitzer won the 60m hurdles with an impressive 8.67 finish, as well as the long jump with a 5.97 mark.
Charlotte DiRocco secured points for Dartmouth after clearing 1.65m in the high jump, finishing in first place. Similarly, Ellison Weiner cleared 3.65m to clinch first place in the pole vault. As for the throws, Kylee Bennett and Zaneta Pivcova clinched the weight throw and shot put, with 15.41m and 14.54m marks, respectively.
Jack Rousseau won the 400m for the men with his final time of 50.13, followed by Noe Kemper clinching the 800m with a 1:54.31 finish. Michael Bueker, Keion Grieve, Jack Inglis and Jack Intihar clinched the men’s 4×4 with a 3:27.64 finish. As for the jumps, David Adams cleared 4.95m to clinch the pole vault for the Big Green, Intihar clinched the long jump 7.14m mark and Roy Leibovitz won the triple jump with a 15.45m mark, which is good for No. 14 in the nation.
Colton McMaster rounded out the meet for the men, clinching the shot put and weight throw with 17.53m and 19.17m marks, respectively.
The Big Green will return to action when heading to New Haven, Conn., for the annual Dartmouth-Yale-Columbia meet on Saturday, Jan. 17.
A brand-new track and field facility will open in Athens on Feb. 18, aiming to serve both the University of Georgia campus and the local community, according to its athletic department.
Located on South Milledge Avenue, the complex will feature a 400-meter, nine-lane Spec Towns Track with an infield long jump, a triple jump and a pole vault facility. The venue will have a capacity of 2,500 that can accommodate up to 4,000 for select events with a grandstand, a press box, an observation deck, restrooms and concession stands.
The new venue replaces the old one on South Lumpkin Street, which had not hosted an event for the Georgia men’s or women’s track and field team since April 2023. Now, the Bulldogs are slated to host the Spec Towns Invitational at the new complex this April, the Torrin Lawrence Memorial in May and the SEC championships in 2027.
High school competitions will also be held at the new facility with theClassic City Track and Field Invitational scheduled for March, making it the first competition on the venue’s calendar, and the GHSA state track meet in May.
The project, which cost $59.8 million, was funded exclusively by donations and gifts, and will become one of the “premier track and field destinations in the country,” according to the university’s director of athletics Josh Brooks.
“We are excited about the opportunities this facility will create for our athletes, our campus and our community,” Brooks said. “While it will support our student-athletes at the highest level, it will also create opportunities that will bring athletes of all ages to our campus throughout the year.”
The new complex will have a strong emphasis on strengthening ties between the university and local community, as public usage hours will give residents a new place to run and exercise, while big events can boost the local economy through hotel stays and visits to local businesses and restaurants.
“The Classic City Track and Field Invitational in March will mark the first competition in the new facility, bringing a regional high school meet to campus and expanding access to elite facilities for local student-athletes,” Alison McCullick, the university’s director of community relations, said. “In addition to competitions, the space will remain open for walking, running and everyday recreation, making it a year-round asset for the university and Athens.”
LONG BEACH, Calif. — In their collegiate debuts, Jackson Cryst and Jake Pazanti made immediate impacts for Long Beach State men’s volleyball, earning Big West Player of the Week honors following a dominant opening weekend. The Beach opened the 2026 season with two straight-set victories, defeating Lindenwood and McKendree at the Pyramid, as Cryst was named Men’s Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week and Pazanti earned Long Beach State Freshman of the Week recognition.
Cryst anchored the Long Beach State defense in his first collegiate action, averaging 1.50 blocks per set and totaling nine blocks over the weekend. His presence at the net helped limit opponents to a combined .157 hitting percentage and contributed to the Beach averaging 3.33 blocks per set across the two matches. Cryst also added seven kills on .462 hitting, showing efficiency and composure on both sides of the net.
Pazanti also impressed in his collegiate debut, directing the Long Beach State offense with poise and balance. The freshman setter recorded 58 assists (9.67 per set) while guiding the Beach to a .351 team hitting percentage in the opening weekend.
In addition to his setting responsibilities, Pazanti contributed six kills on .750 hitting, 16 digs, five blocks, and two service aces, impacting the match in every phase during his first career starts.
Long Beach State men’s volleyball returns to action this week with a three-game road stretch through the Buckeye State to face Central State, George Mason and Ohio State as the Beach continue early-season competition following a successful opening weekend.
WESTON, Mass. — Hannah Griffin, Zoe Kirk, and Justin Thuotte each represented the Pride this week in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) weekly awards. Kirk earned her second Rookie of the Week honor of the season, while Griffin collected her first career Track Athlete of the Week award. Thuotte was named Field Athlete of the Week, marking his first honor of the season and the fifth weekly award of his career.
Zoe Kirk continued her strong rookie campaign with a pair of top-10 finishes. She placed third overall in the high jump with a mark of 1.50 meters, setting a new indoor program record and surpassing the previous mark of 1.46 held by teammate Grace Micklon. Kirk also finished ninth in the 60-meter hurdles, clocking a time of 9.93.
Hannah Griffin captured the top spot in the 800 meters with a time of 2:44.36, edging her nearest competitor by nearly one second.
Justin Thuotte delivered another standout performance at the Wesleyan Winter Invitational, winning the long jump with a mark of 6.70 meters to set a new indoor program record, besting his own previous mark of 6.65 from the last meet. He also placed third in the triple jump at 12.99 meters and rounded out his day with a 10th-place finish in the weight throw, posting a personal-best mark of 13.59 meters.
Regis track and field stays close to home this weekend, traveling to Brighton, Massachusetts, to compete at the Suffolk Ice Breaker at The Track at New Balance.
MILWAUKEE – Ella Parker has been announced as the newest addition to the Milwaukee volleyball roster, head coach Susie Johnson announced on Monday afternoon.
Parker will join the Panthers this spring after spending the last three semesters at St. John’s University in Queens, N.Y., where she was a member of the Red Storm for the past two seasons.
“We are excited to add Ella to our team this spring,” said Johnson. “Having played in the Big East Conference, she has match experience and will bring a lot to our program in the Horizon League. We’re excited that she not only can score points for us but defend as well.”
This past fall, Parker played in 16 matches for St. John’s and recorded 138 kills, along with 10 service aces, 26 digs, and 15 blocks. She posted a season-high 16 kills on Oct. 4 at UConn while hitting .361 and later recorded a season-best .692 hitting percentage with nine kills without an error against LeMoyne earlier in the year.
As a true freshman in 2024, Parker saw action in three matches before an injury ended her season.
Originally from Corrales, New Mexico, Parker was a three-year member of the Cougar volleyball team at Cibola High School in Albuquerque. During her prep career, she earned AVCA Girls High School All-Region honors as both a junior and a senior and was named to the All-American Watch List.
A multiple-time All-State, All-Region, All-Area, and All-Conference selection, Parker was also chosen for the New Mexico Red and Green All-Start Team. She set Cibola program records for both most kills in a season and most kills in a match.
Parker played club volleyball for Duke City Volleyball Academy and competed in beach volleyball with the Albuquerque Beach Volleyball Academy. Away from the court, she was also a competitive swimmer for more than 10 years.
Parker joins fellow transfer Kameron Stover, along with incoming freshmen Olivia Doerre, Emma Duffy, Kayla Landerud, and Hope Wagner as newcomers for the 2026 volleyball season.
PORTLAND, ORE. – The University of Alaska Anchorage had three Seawolves earn GNAC Athlete of the Week honors for indoor track and field.
Liv Heite was named the women’s track athlete of the week. Her top effort was a 60-meter hurdles time of 8.91 seconds, upping her name to third on the GNAC performance list this winter. Heite is the reigning GNAC silver medalist in the event from last season. She also ran 8.09 seconds in the 60 meters, 26.02 seconds in the 200 meters and ran a leg of a UAA 4×400 meter relay squad that posted 3:57.48 minutes to round out her productive weekend. Now in her third season at UAA, Heite is a four-time GNAC medalist earning silver in both the 2024 and 2025 100-meter hurdles (outdoor), silver in the 2025 60-meter hurdles (indoor), and silver in the 2025 400-meter hurdles (outdoor)
“Liv looks like she is ready to pick up where she left off,” said head coach Ryan McWilliams. “She started the season off faster than she did last year and ran consistently over the weekend. I think she is ready to take it to the next level.”
Sarah Dittman was named the women’s field athlete of the week. She kicked things off with a high jump mark of 4-11.75 feet (1.52 meters) and a long jump of 17-4.25 feet (5.29 meters), placing fifth in both events. Each of those marks slotted her fourth among GNAC competitors so far in the indoor season. Dittman also contributed on the track, running a 200 meters time of 26.79 seconds, a 60-meter hurdles time of 10.61 seconds and running a leg of UAA’s 4×400 meter relay unit that posted a time of 4:14.89 minutes.
“Sarah had an encouraging start to her college career,” said head coach Ryan McWilliams. “I am really looking forward to seeing where her growth and development over the course of this season is going to take her.”
Tyler Drake was named the men’s field athlete of the week. His weekend was highlighted by a third-place finish in the long jump, as he cleared 22-3 feet (6.78 meters). That stands as the second-best long jump by a GNAC athlete so far this season. On the track, he posted times of 23.55 seconds in the 200 meters and 8.36 seconds in the 60-meter hurdles.
“Tyler had himself a great start to his college career,” said head coach Ryan McWilliams. “He set personal bests in the hurdles and long jump and moved himself into the top-10 on UAA’s performance list. His long jump start is even more encouraging because of how obvious it is that he still has so much room to grow.”
