Ghana swimmer Ivan Snowden earns historic dual World Aquatics scholarship

Ivan Christopher Snowden has become the first Ghanaian athlete to be awarded a training and educational scholarship by World Aquatics. The scholarship begins in August and will see the 20-year-old train at the World Aquatics Bahrain Centre of Excellence while pursuing a fully funded four-year university education at the University of Technology Bahrain (UTB). World Aquatics confirmed Snowden's selection for the 2026-27 programme in a letter to the Ghana Swimming Association, stating: "We are pleased to inform you that your athlete, Ivan Christopher Snowden, has been selected to receive a 2026-27 World Aquatics Swimming Scholarship at the Bahrain Centre of Excellence. As part of the scholarship, athletes will have the opportunity to enrol at the University of Technology Bahrain (UTB)."

The Ghana Swimming Association (GSA) facilitated the acquisition of the scholarship. The programme combines elite swimming development with academic education, allowing athletes to pursue undergraduate studies while receiving high-performance coaching. Available programmes include Business Informatics, Computer Science, Information Technology, Accounting and Finance, International Business, Environmental Engineering, Informatics Engineering, and Mechatronics Engineering.