Jammu's competitive swimming season swings back into action this week, and the age range at the poolside says it all — swimmers as young as eleven will share the same time trials as eighteen-year-olds, all chasing a spot on one of two national squads.
The Jammu & Kashmir Swimming Association (JKSA), affiliated with the Swimming Federation of India, has announced selection trials at the All Weather Swimming Pool, MA Stadium, Jammu, to pick the UT's sub-junior and junior teams. Sub-junior trials are set for July 18 and junior trials for July 19, 2026, both starting 9:00 AM sharp.
There's no subjective shortlist here: selection will be made purely on time trials, conducted as per Swimming Federation of India rules and qualifying-time endorsement — whoever clocks the fastest, fair and square, makes the cut.
Who can try out
The trials cover four age groups, open to both boys and girls:
Sub-Junior Group-II: 13–14 years (born 2012 or 2013)
Sub-Junior Group-III: 11–12 years (born 2014 or 2015)
Junior Group-I(A): 17–18 years (born 2008 or 2009)
Junior Group-I(B): 15–16 years (born 2010 or 2011)
What to carry, and what it costs
Swimmers are asked to report at the venue well before the scheduled start time with their Aadhaar card and a valid school ID, along with an entry fee of Rs 1,000 per participant.
The prize: two national berths
Swimmers who make the cut will represent Jammu & Kashmir at two championships this August. The 42nd Sub-Junior National Aquatic Championship 2026 will be held in Jaipur from August 6 to 9, hosted by the Rajasthan Swimming Association, while the 52nd Junior National Aquatic Championship 2026 follows in Bhubaneswar from August 18 to 23, hosted by the Odisha State Swimming Association — both under the auspices of the Swimming Federation of India.
The venue is worth a mention too: the all-weather pool at MA Stadium was years in the making, and it now being the site of selection trials for two national championships is a sign the facility is finally fully up and running — a home pool in Jammu that can take swimmers straight from local practice to national-level competition.
The notice is signed by JKSA president Ramandeep Singh Soodan, with entries open to all eligible swimmers across the Union Territory.
Sources: J&K Swimming Association press release (Ref. JKSA/137); pool background via Daily Excelsior.
