World Aquatics has continued its Future Wave Programme with series of engaging online sessions covering key topics for athlete development and welfare, as part of the Future Wave Programme.
Future Wave was developed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) through Olympic Solidarity, World Aquatics and Africa Aquatics, and ran a successful pilot programme of in-person and online sessions focused on long-term athlete development for athletes from the African continent from August to December 2025.
It is aimed at young athletes aged 14 to 16 and their coaches, and the online sessions received strong engagement with 40 participants.
They examined what it takes to develop as an international swimmer on and off the field of play, the importance of team culture and shared values, and mental health and emotional wellbeing.
Each session featured personal testimonies from leading swimmers from around the world, and interactive activities to encourage the participants to learn together.
World Aquatics Athletes’ Committee member and two-time Olympian Jamila Lunkuse from Uganda led the first session on becoming an international swimmer, sharing her personal journey and introducing the Athletes’ Committee's role in representing athlete voices and promoting diversity and inclusion. The session featured an interactive trivia competition covering habits and routine, mindset behind success, growth and progress, and opportunities beyond competition.
“I wanted these young athletes to see that the journey to becoming an international swimmer is about building sustainable habits, learning from setbacks and understanding that you have a voice in this sport. Seeing their engagement and hearing their questions reminded me why athlete representation matters,” Lunkuse said.
Fellow World Aquatics Athletes’ Committee member Collins Saliboko, who represented Tanzania at the Paris 2024 Olympics, explored team culture, leadership and shared values in the second session. He emphasised the importance of discipline, consistency and resilience during his reflections on his swimming journey, and discussed how elite performance is shaped by trust, communication, shared expectations and accountability. Saliboko oversaw a breakout activity, which required athletes to work in small groups to design their team identity for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympics.
“Strong teams are built through shared values and consistent daily actions,” Saliboko said.
"Watching these athletes collaborate to design their team identities for Dakar 2026 showed me they understand the importance of trust, communication and accountability"
Olympic champion Anthony Ervin from the USA led the final session on mental health and well-being, sharing personal experiences from childhood through elite competition. He discussed managing pressure and the importance of mental rehearsal, and highlighted mental preparation and meditation as valuable tools he wished he had developed earlier in his career. Athletes anonymously shared their emotions and coping strategies, providing a safe space to normalise nervousness and share practical approaches to mental challenges.
“We want these young athletes to understand that success comes from building the right habits, supporting each other, and taking care of their mental health,” Ervin said.
"The talent is already there across Africa – now it's about giving them the tools and confidence to reach their potential"
The sessions reinforced that becoming an international swimmer requires strong training habits and adaptability, while stressing the importance of mindset, mental health and team culture for long-term success and personal growth.
Future Wave supported young athletes and coaches in their preparations for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, the first Olympic sports event to be hosted in Africa. It equipped them with structured tools to build knowledge, gain experience and develop through reflection and consistent practice.