Swimmers set to renew battles at Nationals

The 10 and under age group is where future stars are made. It usually brings the most participants per age group and fans. And it also produces new stars every year who then go on and dominate the sport for years.

In the 11-12 age group, the entry times show that Jaguar’s Zara Mbanga could have a clean sweep of all the girls’ events – with only Black Panther’s Leona Muwaya coming close in the 100m and 50m freestyle.

Gators’ Abdou Hakim Seck also looks top of the grid in the 11-12 boys but just four microseconds come between his (37.76) and Ozpreys’ Jerome Matsiko’s (37.81) 50m breaststroke. The latter also has a better entry time in the 50m freestyle.

Not so competitive 13-14

Last year, the 13-14 girls’ age group did not serve much but the boys had a cutthroat completion. Most of those boys have since graduated to 15-16, where they will still go head to head.

Heer Usadadiya, of new club Aqua Akii, still looks to be force on the psyche sheet as he has better entry times for the backstrokes, individual medley and some freestyle events. He, however, cedes top seed for 50m free to Gators’ Ethani Ssengooba. Ssengooba also looks set to battle for butterfly honours with Aquatic Academy’s Akram Lubega while Otters’ Reagan Kisakye has entry times that challenge Gators’ Daniel Rukundo and Dolphins Malcolm Nahamya in the breaststroke sprints.

But all these have left Isaiah Kuc to find new challengers in the 13-14 and he is evidently dominant.

For the 13-14 girls’ Paloma Kirabo and Peyton Suubi also seem to have split their areas of influence. Kirabo is likely to dominate the backstroke and freestyle sprints while Suubi will dominate the breaststroke – only challenged by Gators’ Tasha Kisawuzi, butterfly and individual medley.

Most of the other girls like Altona’s trio of Sonia Mwere, Abigail Mwagale and Paula Nabukeera plus Sailfish’s Karen Mwangi among others could still influence how the silver and bronze medals plus points are shared.

The 15-16 girls’ age group is still Tara Kisawuzi’s fortress. But Karimah Katemba’s entries, especially for the open category’s 800m free, show a swimmer that is now more motivated while Rahmah Nakasule will be waiting for the middle distance and backstroke events to throw the spanner in the works.

Similarly, 17 and over girls is Charlotte Sanford’s to lose but Swagiah Mubiru if she is in better form than she showed in the National League in April should wrestle away some gold medals in the backstroke events.

Battle for supremacy

The entry times show that Dolphins’ Tendo Kaumi will dominate the 17 and over boys. But he was stunned by his younger brother Pendo in the 50m fly at the Silverfin Pentathlon in May.

Steve Magera is in the conversation for the 50m fly too although he intriguingly appears as a Dolphins swimmer on the sheet yet he swam for Gators last year and this paper could not establish when he transferred.

But the age group also has Seals’ John Kafumbe. His freestyle and backstroke entry times may not show that he is a threat but Kafumbe is not known for entering a race he does not hope to be competitive. He could be the man that turns this age group on its head.

While at it, Dolphins’ Ian Aziku and the Silverfin Academy duo of Namanya Ampaire and Larry Greig Feni will be left to battle it out in the breaststroke events.

USF National Championships

Age Groups: 10 & under, 11-12, 13-14, 15-16, 17 & over
Date: June 27-30

Venue: Kampala Parents, Naguru