| Friends of Tribob Hoi An Children’s Swimming Program
October 2008 Update
Hello all
 Program 4 of the swim program ran for 6 weeks from beginning July until end August. It was a huge success with 50 more children completing the basic swim course. The lifeguard we had trained to teach in the last program was now able to coach more independently, so we are starting to grow our own pool of local instructors. This is the direction we want to move towards with the goal being to have the program completely run by Vietnamese instructors.
In addition to the basic swimming classes, during this program we ran advanced classes for some of the children who had already completed the basic training. The children who completed the advanced classes were then eligible to compete in the children’s race in the 2008 Hoi An International Triathlon.
 We had training sessions in the pool and the sea as well as brick sessions as we got closer to the event. For those not totally up to speed on triathlon training terms this is a training session involving more than one discipline, so in this case it was swimming and running. The kids were a bit surprised when their instructors were transformed from our usual mild mannered personas to rather more evil sergeant major types, but they managed to adjust.
On the day of the triathlon the kids were all looking a bit subdued and nervous about the big event. Some of them had not been able to swim 10 meters at the beginning of the program and here they were about to compete in a 200m race in the ocean followed by a 1.5km run (most of these kids have to run in their bare feet).
It was wonderful to see their faces when they first saw the transition area and the race course. It was really only then that they realised how big a deal this was, what an accomplishment it was for them to be there and how proud they should be of themselves. The coaches, Liz, Trung, Thanh and I were the most nervous people at the start line. We so wanted our kids to do well, but mostly we just wanted them to enjoy themselves and be proud of themselves regardless of the outcome.
We had no need to be concerned. The kids all did fabulously well with Nguyen Van Duoc coming in first with a fabulous time of 12 mins 55 secs (You go Duoc!). This boy is amazing, the most serious, motivated kid I have ever come across. Watch out for his name in the 2016 Olympics in the Vietnamese swimming squad. In the girls race Nguyen Thi Thu Quynh came in third after sprinting her tough little heart out in the run. I know you are not meant to say this, but I think she is my favourite.
I have focused a bit too much on the triathlon event. The program is about much more than this. However I can not understate the pride I had in seeing these kids achieve so much in such a short space of time. To see the pride they took in themselves for what they had accomplished was an absolute joy.
Possibly the high point of the day was during the main triathlon awards ceremony that evening. Many Tribob members and other athletes donated significant amounts of money towards the program. I would like to offer my heartfelt gratitude to you and to all others who have contributed to the project. Your generosity means that the program will continue next year.
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