Fast and furious Nahamya, Ssemanda, Ssali lift Dolphins

Malcolm Nahamya is enjoying his swimming outings lately.

After a dominant and most valuable player (MVP) show at the Federation of East Africa Secondary School Sports Association (Feasssa) Games in Bukedea last month, he came out over the weekend to top the 15 and over boys’ age group at the Dolphins Fast and Furious gala held at Kampala Parents School, Naguru on Saturday.

The Dolphins swimmer needed a bit of luck this time as the darkness ended the event, which attracted 24 clubs fielding 532 swimmers, before his age group’s final individual event; 50m freestyle but he had done a good points’ collection game by then.

In the 100m individual medley, Nahamya (1:05.72) came third behind Silverfin Academy duo Larry Greig Feni (1:04.98) and Namanya Ampaire (1:04.99) then placed sixth in the 50m breaststroke (33.44) won by his teammate Ian Aziku (30.30).

"I am not in a good state healthwise but it was also not an easy event to compete in because some of us are just returning to training (since the Uganda Swimming Federation National Championships held in July) and then we also have to balance it with the books (final academic year for some and promotional term for others," Aziku, who many would have tipped to top the gala, said after his new breaststroke PB.

As Aziku, Ampaire and Feni opted out of the 50m backstroke, which is Nahamya’s best stroke, the Dolphins swimmer went in and placed second (29.84) behind Sailfish’s Joshua Kaganda (29.47).

Ampaire went on to win the 50m butterfly in 27.49 seconds but Nahamya’s ninth place finish (30.42) was enough to propel him to the top of the age group with 53 points – three ahead of Ampaire and four ahead of Torpedoes’ Kyle Kaweesa.           

For the 15 and over girls, Sailfish’s Charlotte Sanford only ceded ground to Aquatic Academy’s Rahmah Nakasule in the 50m backstroke but still had enough from the other races to top the age group with 98 points – eight ahead of Nakasule. Silverfin’s Karla Mugisha had 82 points.

Lower age groups

In the 13-14 age group, Torpedoes Jonathan Kaweesa topped the IM (1:11.07), 50m back (32.54), 50m fly (30.07), and 50m free (27.95) then came fifth in the 50m breaststroke won by Aquatic’s Kigundu Ssango (35.71) to top the boys with 92 points. Ssango had 84 points while Aqua Akii’s Elijah Mukisa came third with 76.

For the girls, Jaguar’s Peyton Suubi was again at her absolute best winning all five events to finish with the maximum 100 points ahead of Sailfish’s Karen Mwangi (82) and Gliders’ Tyrah Muganzi (78).

For the 11-12 girls, Jaguar’s Zara Mbanga was stunned by the hosts’ Mackayla Ssali (32.02) in the 50m fly but otherwise had a clean sweep of events as she topped with 98 points. Mackayla had 88 while Otters’ Nisha Pearl Najjuma had 78.

In the boys’ category, Dolphins’ Manuel Ssemanda also benefitted a lot from showing up as he garnered 77 points – five ahead of Silverfin’s Arthur Nsubuga and Torpedoes’ Elijah Ayesiga. Ssemanda only needed to top the 50m back (34.84). He had a podium finish in the IM and freestyle – behind Nsubuga (29.12) but was fourth in the 50m fly and eight in 50m breaststroke.

In the 9-10 girls, Aquatic’s Mushirah Nabatanzi continued her dominance with a 100 percent return to finish ahead of Silverfin’s Eleanor Nakimuli (80) and Dolphins’ Neema Nsereko (64) while for the boys, Dolphins’ Malachi Ssali had 84 points leaving Silverfin’s Ibrahim Lule and Aquatic’s Makeen Kajumbi tied on 80.

25m swimmers

In the lower 6-8 age group, which mainly did 25m events, Aqua Akii’s Aya Adams topped the girls with 96 points – 20 ahead of Aquatic’s Husnah Kajumbi on 76 while Gliders’ Siima Nalwoga and Vision for Africa International’s Blessing Namugga were tied in third on 69 points.

Dolphins had one more podium finish to cap their event - which was sponsored by the club's usual hosts Lloli Fun Park Akamwesi, Pepsi, Oak Cafe plus Momoz Ovens and Cafe - with Danel Sebaana (84 points) getting the better of Black Panthers’ Paul Ntende (75) and Otters’ Gideon Mwesigwa (71) in the 6-8 boys.

Top Performers

6-8 Years

G: Aya Adams (Aqua Akii) – 96 points

B: Daniel Sebaana (Dolphins) – 84

9-10 Years

G: Mushirah Nabatanzi (Aquatic Academy) – 100

B: Malachi Ssali (Dolphins) – 84

11-12 Years

G: Zara Mbanga (Jaguar) – 98

B: Manuel Ssemanda (Dolphins) – 77

13-14 Years

G: Peyton Suubii (Jaguar) – 100

B: Jonathan Kaweesa (Torpedoes) – 92

15 & Over

G: Charlotte Sanford (Sailfish) – 98

B: Malcolm Nahamya (Dolphins) – 53