Middle Eastern Elites: Safa Community School Blazes into World Top Five in London
The official final standings are locked in for the World School Swim Championships 2026. The results confirm a massive achievement for Gulf youth sports. Battling against an elite global field of over 30 international schools, Dubai’s Safa Community School (SCS) rose to the occasion, capturing an incredible 5th place finish on the world stage.
The London Aquatics Centre pool hosted teams from Singapore, Europe, Africa, and the UK. Despite facing deep squads competing across every single age division, the “SCS Sharks” relied on pure quality to cement their status among the global elite.
The Blueprint of Junior Dominance
Safa’s high-performance swim programme, led by Swim Lead Chris Hubble, was devastatingly efficient. While schools above them accumulated points across senior and open brackets, Safa dominated the junior fields completely:
- The U13 Powerhouse: Safa racked up a staggering 240 points in the U13 category alone. They finished as the second-highest scoring U13 team on the planet, just behind global winners Sezin School.
- The U11 Surge: The junior sharks backed this up by storming the pool for 180 points in the U11 division, matching the world’s absolute best programs stroke-for-stroke.
With an overall tally of 420 total series points, Safa comfortably cleared heavyweights like Kenton College, CIS Lagos, and top UK academies to secure their top-five global real estate.
A Statement for the Gulf
The performance proves that Middle Eastern school swimming is operating at a world-class level. Safa went toe-to-toe with renowned sporting institutions and out-pointed them using a focused, highly technical contingent.
As the team returns to Dubai with their heads held high, the foundation for the future looks untouchable. The junior sharks have proven they belong on the world stage.
The Final Leaderboard (Top 10)
| School | U11 | U13 | U15 | Open | Total | |
| 1 | Sezin School | 170 | 250 | 140 | 80 | 640 |
| 2 | Bootham School | 50 | 230 | 220 | 110 | 610 |
| 3 | Stamford American International | 190 | 160 | 180 | 70 | 600 |
| 4 | ACS Cobham | 110 | 100 | 200 | 100 | 510 |
| 5 | Safa Community School | 180 | 240 | – | – | 420 |
| 6 | Kenton College | 150 | 220 | – | – | 370 |
| 7 | CIS Lagos | 140 | 170 | 10 | 30 | 350 |
| 8 | Alleyn’s School | – | 180 | 160 | – | 340 |
| 9 | Victoria College | – | 190 | 150 | – | 340 |
| 10 | Institut Florimont | – | 120 | 210 | – | 330 |