11 year old Munachi Odulukwe Shatters SID ‘Back Float’ Record as Swim in 1 Day SID Africa, the only non-governmental swimming organization in Nigeria, Hosts Inaugural Life-Saving Clinic at Emerald High School, Ogun State.
Ogun State, Nigeria, ‘June 26, 2026’ a date to remember. In a stunning display of courage and resilience, the 2026 edition of the WLSL, concluded with a historic achievement that has redefined what is possible in survival swimming instruction, when delivered with love, patience, and persistent motivation. This proves our WLSL message that indeed, “Swimming Lessons Save Lives.”
An 11year old student of the host School, emerged as the “overall best swimming survivor”, recording 1:00:21 in the survival swimming challenge.
Despite an unexpected challenge, many students arriving without swimwear, the event was an overwhelming success, drawing enough participants to fill the sessions and creating an atmosphere of unity, determination, and triumph.
Opening Ceremony: A Unified Chant for Change
The program kicked off at 10:00 AM with an electrifying Opening Ceremony. Students. both those entering the water and those cheering from the sidelines, stood as one team, chanting the two most important reasons behind the unified mission of both Swim in 1 Day SID Africa and The World’s Largest Swimming Lesson WLSL:
“Anyone can drown, no one should!”
“Swimming Lessons Save Lives!”
“Welcome to the World’s Largest Swimming Lesson, Nigeria!”
The SID Junior Paralympic Preparatory Swim Team delivered a motivational performance, featuring Femi (one-legged amputee para swimmer) and Segun (visually impaired/blind para swimmer), inspiring all present with their embodiment of perseverance and limitless potential. They showcased professional swimming skills, handstands, somersaults and the Back float.
Main Event: In-Water Instruction & Friendly Competition
Between 10:30 AM and 1:30 PM, 105 students rotated through three 1-hour sessions under the sole instruction of SID Africa’s founder, Emeka Chuks-Nnadi aka Swim Guru. Backed by 3 professional lifeguards and several deck watchers, Swim Guru Emeka delivered the organization’s unique and customized WLSL-aligned curriculum with a focused emphasis on the ‘Back Float’ survival technique. This Nigeria-hosted program, developed by Emeka a proud Global Ambassador with the Swim Global Project (SGP) and encouraged by his mentor and SGP founder Nathalie Martin, intentionally added more substance to the standard WLSL model. The adaptation prioritized the back float for both swimmers and non-swimmers alike, with one clear goal: to teach the most students in the shortest possible time.
The result? A record-breaking competition that stunned spectators.
Award-Winning Performances: The Back Float Endurance Challenge
105 Participants were taught for the very first time and challenged to sustain the back float for as long as possible. The top four finishers demonstrated extraordinary willpower:
· 4th Place: 16 year old, Zara Ikpefan Oluwatobi, (Class: Year 11 or SS 2) – 12 minutes, 17 seconds
Prize: 3-day SID Africa Scholarship (Value: ₦150,000)
· 3rd Place: 12 year old, Tooni Ajayi (Class: Year 8 or JSS 2)– 13 minutes, 33 seconds
Prize: 3-day SID Africa Scholarship (Value: ₦150,000)
· 2nd Place: 16 year old, Chinwendu Okoye (Class: Year 11 or SS 2)– 41 minutes, 21 seconds
Prize: 6-day SID Africa Scholarship (Value: ₦300,000)
· 1st Place: 11 year old, Munachi Odulukwe (Class: Year 8 or JSS 2)– 1 hour, 21 seconds
Prize: 12-day SID Africa Scholarship (Value: ₦600,000)
🏆 NEW SID AFRICA BACK FLOAT WORLD RECORD
DeepSeek AI says, “While no one else with this exact first-class scenario is mentioned in the results, her record clearly stands out as an exceptional case.”
“Given that no immediate records of anyone else achieving this exist, it is very possible that Munachi’s time is indeed a unique or unprecedented accomplishment, which is exactly why this is a historic moment for Nigeria’s debut at the WLSL.”
Odulukwe Munachi’s journey was the highlight of the day. Initially terrified and hesitant, she transformed before the eyes of all spectators, going from fear to extreme courage. With unwavering support from our team and instructor, she not only won but demonstrated a profound truth: that a few minutes of swimming lessons, learned through participation in WLSL, could keep a person alive for over an hour in a disaster situation.
Speaking exclusively to NAN Sports Editor Enoch Akojede after her historic feat, Odulukwe described the one-hour back float as grueling yet rewarding. “The one hour spent in the water is a lot of stress,” she admitted, “but determination helped me complete it successfully.”
Fellow participant Okoye echoed the sentiment, noting that even her prior experience with butterfly and breaststroke did little to prepare her. “I have practised butterfly and breaststroke, but this was extraordinary,” she said.
For Ajayi, a complete beginner, the experience was simply enjoyable. “I am a starter, but I had a wonderful time,” she said, adding that swimming helps her maintain fitness and manage stress.
While every participant demonstrated remarkable courage, a few students stood out for their exceptional performance:
- Odulukwe Munachi – 1 hour 21 seconds
- Chimwe – 41 minutes 21 seconds
- Ajayi Tooni – 13 minutes 33 seconds (Non-swimmer)
- Zara (Yr 11) – 12 minutes, 17 seconds
- Sogbhe Kameng – 12 minutes 26 seconds
- Zara – 12 minutes 17 seconds
- Olusegun Michelle – 5 minutes 17 seconds
- Eze Prosperity – 3 minutes 48 seconds
- Chiditerem Santiago – 3 minutes 15 seconds
- Okorie Mike (Non-swimmer) – 2 minutes 54 seconds
- Enock – 1 minute 47 seconds
- Lengthor – 1 minute 41 seconds
- Darasimi Iyiola – 1 minute 21 seconds
- Annie Faderin (Non-swimmer) – 1 minute 20 seconds
- Ofor Mercy (Non-swimmer)– 49 seconds
- Yagazie Eme (Non-swimmer)– 37 seconds
- Omovbide Tsabelle (Non-swimmer)– 32 seconds
- Solomon (Non-swimmer)– 28 seconds
- Eniola (Non-swimmer)– 26 seconds
- Chukwu Johnbull James (Non-swimmer) – 19 seconds
Closing Ceremony: Recognition and Reflection
The Closing Ceremony was a celebratory wrap-up, featuring group photographs and a renewed call to action for World Drowning Prevention Day (July 25). While the exhausted 1st and 2nd place winners were unable to collect their awards in person, a teacher received them on their behalf.
Key presentations during the event included:
· Vice Principal of Emerald High School – Received two WLSL certificates on behalf of the host institution.
· Mr. Enoch Akojede – Sports Editor, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) – Provided extensive coverage of the event and was invited to present awards to the top performers, lending a distinguished media presence to the occasion.
All 105 participating students are also set to receive their certificates directly from the school in a subsequent presentation.
Throughout the day, the Swim in 1 Day Water Safety Anthem served as a powerful background interlude, reminding everyone present that water safety must always come first for a hitch-free swimming experience.
A Note on Participation
Due to time constraints, official documentation focused on students who sustained the back float for at least one minute. However, SID Africa extends heartfelt congratulations to every student who entered the water and succeeded, even for less than a minute. The organization emphasizes that under pressure, not everyone copes immediately, and with subsequent lessons, their stars will also shine.
About Swim in 1 Day (SID) Africa
SID Africa is the only organization of its kind on the continent, uniting a charity, a social movement, and a public awareness campaign into a unique force for change to transform the lives of Africans especially the underserved through swimming education, water safety, survival swimming and swim/hydrotherapy.
About the World’s Largest Swimming Lesson (WLSL)
WLSL is a global event aimed at raising awareness about the importance of swimming lessons and water safety education. Hosted annually across multiple countries simultaneously, it serves as a unified platform to prevent drowning worldwide.
The initiative in Nigeria highlighted drowning prevention, especially as Africa records most global victims.