St. Saviour’s, Team Grange Reign Supreme at Ikoyi Club / Zenith Bank Inter-School Swimming Gala

The 2026 Zenith Bank Inter‑School Swimming Gala finished on Saturday with strong performances from more than 200 young swimmers from primary and secondary schools across Lagos. The event, held at the Swimming Section of Ikoyi Club 1938, marked the ninth edition of the youth development competition.

Participants demonstrated skill, determination and sportsmanship, showcasing the next generation of Nigerian swimming talent.

St. Saviour’s School, Ikoyi claimed the overall title in the primary school category, while Grange School topped the secondary school category.

In the primary division, St. Saviour’s accumulated 260.5 points to finish first. Grange School earned 173.5 points for second place, Riverbank School came third with 145.5 points, Children International School finished fourth with 126 points, and Corona Schools secured fifth place with 119.5 points.

In the secondary division, Grange School dominated with 271.5 points. Children International School followed with 171 points, British International School was third with 133.5 points, Greensprings School took fourth with 116 points, and James Hope College finished fifth with 81 points.

After the event, Babatunde Pearse, Vice Chairman and Games Captain of the Swimming Section at Ikoyi Club 1938, praised the competition’s quality and the growing number of participants.

“The standard has been very encouraging and participation has been fantastic. We had more swimmers than previous editions and it is exciting to see the level of improvement in performance and timing. While there is always room for growth, the future of swimming development looks very bright.”

Pearse also thanked Zenith Bank for its ongoing support of youth sports development.

“We sincerely appreciate Zenith Bank for partnering with us and investing in the growth of young talents through this platform. Their support continues to create opportunities for these children to compete, develop and build confidence through sport. Partnerships like this are essential to nurturing the champions of tomorrow.”

He reiterated the club’s commitment to grassroots development and talent discovery.

“We remain committed to creating more opportunities for these young swimmers because today’s participants are tomorrow’s champions. We hope that through initiatives like this, we can continue developing talents and perhaps produce future Olympians.”

This year’s gala further cemented the Zenith Bank Inter‑School Swimming Gala’s status as a leading platform for youth swimming development in Nigeria.