Mbanga, Suubi and Kuc light up USF League

Isaiah Kuc, Zara Mbanga and Peyton Suubi are in a rich vein of form with just about two months until the National Swimming Championships.

The three swimmers, despite not having the kind of competition that would propel them to engage top gear were still exceptionally chasing time every time they dived into Smil Pool, Bweyogerere for the Uganda Swimming Federation (USF)’s second league meet last weekend.

On Saturday, Mbanga impressively went under five minutes for the 400m freestyle, stopping the clock at four minutes, 59 seconds and 66 microseconds (4:59.66).

Being just 12, one would ideally have thought that she set the tone for her senior female colleagues to later do the same but only her Jaguar teammate Suubi, 13, in the 13-14 age group matched the effort with 4:58.76.

For the boys, Silverfin Academy’s Kuc from the 13-14 boys group led the male competitors with 4:30.96. But at least there was sailfish’s Arthur Mwase (4:43.59), his brother Mathew (4:53.92), Dolphin’s Pendo Kaumi (4:53.68) and Gators’ Daniel Rukundo (4:54.78) – all from the 15-16 boys’ age group going under five minutes.

100m back

Mbanga continued to top the girls in the 100m backstroke with an impressive 1:11.95 with Abdou Hakim Seck, from Gators, topping the 11-12 boys with 1:11.32.

Kuc’s 1:07.91 was still in the top five times for the male swimmers bettered only by Pendo (1:04.57), Rukundo (1:07.46) plus 17 and over boys; Tendo Kaumi (59.14 seconds) and Joshua Kaganda (1:04.80).       

200m breaststroke

The 200m breaststroke was arguably the event that brought the most out of the swimmers at the competition. Mbanga still led the girls with 2:53.69 but Suubi also impressively went under three minutes with 2:58.34 while Charlotte Sanford, 17, had 2:55.16.

Kuc cut over 14 seconds to place 2:41.29 just ahead of Jeremiah Magera at 2:59.52 for the 13-14 boys.

About eight boys from the 15-16 category were under three minutes; Rukundo (2:40.53), Arthur (2:45.72), Torpedoes’ Kyle Kaweesa (2:48.48), Mathew (2:49.99), Benjamin Lutaaya (2:56.39), Joshua Andriatsitohaina (2:57.69), Emaad Tumusiime (2:58.10) and Ethani Ssengooba (2:58.43).

However, Namanya Ampaire, 19, continued to be the leading light in the event with a marginal 2:39.47 personal best (PB). And he was followed up in his age group by Seals’ Daudi Kusinza (2:49.84) and special needs swimmer Larry Graig Feni (2:51.36).

50m free, 400 IM

In the 50m freestyle, Mbanga impressively went under 30 seconds with a 29.36 while Seck also did the same for the boys with 28.76.

Kuc’s 26.90 was equally impressive while microseconds separated Pendo (25.35) and Ssengooba (25.63) in their age group’s 50m free race. For the senior boys, Tendo’s 24.05 was no PB but still commendably under the 25 seconds that were a barrier in Ugandan swimming for ages.

The 400m individual medley was still topped by Mbanga (5:36.46) and Kuc (5:10.44) in terms of overall performance but Tebi Nyanzi’s 5:37.19 to beat his senior colleagues in the 17 and over age group also left an impression.