A week-long Level 1 Canoe Sprint Coaching Course staged in Togo from April 10 to 17 has been a huge success.
Taking place in the town of Aného, a total of 28 participants from Togo, Benin, and Nigeria completed the training and received certifications.
The courses were held in collaboration with Olympic Solidarity, the Confederation of African Canoeing (CAC), the Togolese Canoeing Federation (FETOC) and the National Olympic Committees of Togo.
Led by ICF expert head coach Zdzislaw Szubski of Poland, many of the participants were former athletes.
For the beginners, it was also an opportunity to discover the discipline.
Participants were given a brief history of canoeing and kayaking with the course, held in French, focusing on video analysis, equipment and boat technologies, youth training principles, injury prevention and recovery, strength training, and more.
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The ICF hopes the course will be a stepping stone as coaches aim to pass on the knowledge to the next generation of paddlers in the West African nation.
The ICF is working with FETOC and the NOC to develop canoeing in a sustainable manner in Togo, with the Level 1 Canoe Sprint Coaching Course only the beginning.
The aim is to make Togo and neighbouring countries strong and competitive regionally continentally and internationally.
“The African continent has made great strides in canoeing and kayaking in recent years and the latest coaching course in Togo is further proof that they don’t want to rest on their laurels,” ICF Vice President Cecilia Farias said.
“The ICF prioritises and plans courses in Africa and the Americas in their own languages to ensure a clear understanding of the topics covered, with participants giving positive reviews.
“Congratulations to all those who received their certifications and the Togolese Canoeing Federation for its efforts. We are pleased with your continued efforts to develop the sport.
“I also want to thank the IOC, Olympic Solidarity, NF and NOC for their support in developing the sport.”
“I am proud of the way we have come with my coaches. It was not easy to organise this training, but we did it. Today, we have 28 confirmed ICF coaches. Thanks to all those who contributed to this success,” FETOC President Comlan Mawuko Simedo said.
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