By Arfang M. S Camara
Omar Darboe, one of Gambia’s best swimming sprinters, won his first bronze medal for his country at the 8th edition of the CANA Zone Swimming and Open Water Championship held in Dakar from 27th to 29th May 2022.
This year’s zonal competition featured 18 countries from CANA Zone 2, including the Central African Republic. The Gambia’s first appearance in the zonal event was in 2012, sending only one male competitor.
Omar competed in the 200m Men Breaststroke, finishing third after missing the 50m Men’s Breaststroke when he won his heats but was unable to progress owing to his time. As a result, he finished fourth and missed out on a medal in the 50m Breaststroke, which Senegal won.
Omar has been The Gambia’s top open water swimmer for a long time until he began to lose his monopoly to Ebrima Sorry Buaro, an Olympian who competed in the most recent Tokyo2020 Olympic Games. Omar is listed as part of The Gambian swimming team for this year’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
