Swimming: Ghanaian prodigy Yamin Amankwah Boamah sets new personal bests record

Twelve-year-old Ghanaian swimmer Yamin Amankwah Boamah delivered an outstanding performance at the Vancouver Island Regional (VIR) Championships, held from January 30 to February 1, 2026, setting 10 new personal bests at the three-day event in Canada.

Competing at the Saanich Commonwealth Place, Yamin continued to showcase his rapid development in the pool, having already made headlines last year as the youngest swimmer at the Africa Aquatics Zone 2 Championships hosted in Ghana.

The young prospect recorded his most notable improvement in the 1500 metres freestyle, clocking a new personal best of 19:53.83, a remarkable 40.42-second reduction from his previous time.

He also posted personal bests across a demanding programme that included the 100m freestyle, 200m individual medley, 200m medley, 400m medley, 400m freestyle, 200m freestyle, 200m butterfly, and 100m backstroke.

A student of Monterey Middle School, Yamin has already enjoyed success on the continental stage. He claimed bronze in the 1500 metres freestyle at the 2025 Africa Aquatics Zone 2 Swimming Championships and played a key role in Ghana’s silver-medal finish in the 4x200m freestyle relay.

Yamin’s latest performances further underline his growing reputation as one of Ghana’s most exciting young swimming talents, with his progress marking him as a rising prospect to watch both nationally and on the international stage.