Passages: Author, Statistician And Swimming Coach Kelvin Juba Dies As LEN Pay Tribute

 

by LIZ BYRNES - EUROPE CORREPONDENT

03 November 2020, 07:46am

Swimming author and statistician Kelvin Juba has died, European governing body LEN has announced.

Juba was a driving force in developing the ‘learn to swim, prevent drowning’ programme that was launched at the end of 2017.

As a member of the steering group that undertook extensive research across Europe in order to establish standards for teaching and learning swimming, Juba said: “We hope to do something good for not only saving lives but to get people swimming properly.”

He had followed in his father’s footsteps as a swimming coach and went on to work across several sports before returning to the swimming world.

Juba wrote several books including collaborations with David Wilkie, the 1976 Olympic 200m breaststroke champion.

A statement from LEN read:

“The LEN Family has learnt with immense sadness that our long-time contributor and friend Kelvin Juba passed away.

“Kelvin was the heart and soul of LEN’s statistical database and producer of several editions of the Book of Champions, a genuine compilation of the historical results of the European Aquatic Championships, the European Water Polo Championships and the LEN Champions League.

“He and his company was a constant contributor for LEN’s other publications in the past decades and recently he played a major role in creating and implementing LEN’s new pan-European initiative, the Learn-to-Swim, Prevent Drowning programme. His tireless efforts helped LEN to successfully present this programme to the European Union and to gain unanimous support from its decision-makers.

“Kelvin got close to aquatics early since his father was a great swimming coach and he himself also became one. He was involved in sport marketing and communications quite early, even during the 70s and 80s, doing some ground-breaking jobs in several sports. Later he returned to the world of swimming, published highly-rated books like Swimming for Fitness (w/ David Wilkie) and joined the circles of LEN.

“His knowledge, experience and gentleness will be missed badly in the future. In these grieving moments, our thoughts are with his family and friends.”