Ik Heb Mijn B Diploma !!!!

Hooorayyyy....

Alhamdulillah, Ilham received his Diploma B swimming certificate on Saturday 5th March 2011. I (read this I, and not Ilham yea :D) was not nervous and worried as I was when he received his A Diploma last year. Now I know that if you are invited for the diploma, then you know that you WILL get the diploma so long as you ATTEND the test on the specified date. The test is only a formality :D

The event took place at the Driesprong Zwembad (swimming pool Driesprong), Zoetermeer. There were about 16 kids being tested. Among the test are :-

• Jump in fully-clothed from a one meter board, float for 30 seconds, swim breast-stroke and dive under a five-foot mat (raft), resurface and continue swimming for 25 meter and swim back-stroke 25 meter.



• Dive and swim underwater for 6 meter and go through the underwater hole, resurface, continue breast-stroke for 75 meter, in between do a "candle sink" once. A candle sink is sinking into the water with body and legs straight and your hands upright.




• Dive and swim underwater for 6 meter and go through the underwater hole, resurface on the back, swim back-stroke for 75 meter, in between do a crocodile turn once. A crocodile turn is turning 360 degree horizontally with your body and hands straight above the head.




• Swim free-style for 25 meter.




• Swim back-style for 25 meter.




• Float face down for 10 seconds, swim 3 strokes and float again for 7 seconds.




• Float face up for 15 seconds, swim 3 strokes and float again for 10 seconds.

Here are some photos and videos at the pool. The photos are a bit blurred for some reason. I almost given up on the uploading of the videos, it took ages !!!! The other videos just had to wait until later....

Waiting for the test to begin. There were 2 groups, one on each side of the pool.

Receiving last minute instructions.

Getting ready to jump from the board for the 30 second float and swim under the mat (raft)



Counting to 30 seconds in Dutch... anybody understand? :D

It took a while for me to realise that Ilham's name was mentioned here in the video above. Even then I was not so sure whether I heard right. The whole thing was conducted in Dutch and we didn't understand a thing except the counting he...he...he...When the audience clapped their hands, we just joined in :D

Breast-stroke

Getting ready for the back-style

Swim back-style for 25 meters.

Floating face up

Dancing and going around the pool after the swim

On the other side of the pool

The last test of the diploma, treading in water for 30 seconds. Parents can join in at this stage.

In the last treading in water, parents joined their kid in the pool. Some parents even jumped in fully clothed !!! Ilham was the only child without a parent joining in he..he..he.. Well... had his father jump in, he would need saving because he couldn't swim at all !!!! Saving him and his son the embarassment, we let Ilham tread alone :D

Another view of parents joining their kids.

Waiting patiently for the certificate ceremony to begin...

Receiving a medal and a big cylinder of Smarties...

Receiving the certificate. The lady was Ilham's trainer Alianna, she is very nice...

The covetted B Diploma certificate.

Smarties and the gold medal... (ohh everybody received gold :D)

Testing the gold.... :D

With another trainer (he was not Ilham's trainer though, he is teaching C Diploma)

It was a fun and exciting day and a good experience for Ilham. He has agreed to proceed for C diploma, a wise decision because it would give him some target to achieve and a good exercise too. Hope he will be able to do it because he needs to wear a jacket when swimming for C and to swim underwater for about 12 meter.