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Swimming: Uganda win Zone III Championship in Rwanda
Carried the form. Joshua Kaganda took his form from the National Championships in June to the national team as he bagged silver and bronze in the 50m back and 100m back at the Africa Aquatics Zone III Championships in Kigali, Rwanda. PHOTO/EDDIE CHICCO
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For the 12 and under girls, Zara Manga, also had all 10 gold medals to herself with Crystal Ssemanda bagging some silvers and bronzes. For the boys Abdou Hakim won four races while Kigundu Ssango won two.
Uganda won the eighth edition of the Africa Aquatics Zone III Championships held in Kigali, Rwanda over the weekend.
The triumph is Uganda’s third since the competition started in 2015 and came with 3,206 points – more than Tanzania and Kenya, who joined them on the podium.
The hosts Rwanda came fourth, a clear sign that they are still developing their aquatics as this competition is usually won by the host countries due to their numbers.
Uganda’s contingent was not all about numbers but they also put in the work in the pool with 64 gold medals, 52 silvers and 37 bronzes over the weekend.
Thirteen of Uganda’s gold medals came from open category competitions as did eight of the silvers and three of the bronzes.
Uganda, captained by Ben Kaganda and Karla Mugisha, collected most of their medals in the 12 and under plus the 17 and over age groups – 34 in each of the age groups.
For the 17 and overs, Swagiah Mubiru had 10 gold medals and let Mugisha beat her to the 50m freestyle one. Karla had five silvers but Gabriella Ndawula also chipped in with three bronze medals.
Tendo Kaumi had five gold medals for the senior boys with just one going to Larry Feni.
For the 12 and under girls, Zara Manga, also had all 10 gold medals to herself with Crystal Ssemanda bagging some silvers and bronzes. For the boys Abdou Hakim won four races while Kigundu Ssango won two.
Another dominant swimmer was Tara Kisawuzi in the 15-16 girls with seven gold medals in her age group while for the boys Pendo Kaumi and Ian Aziku won two age group races each.
For the 13-14 boys, Heer Usadadiya, Isaiah Kuc, Daniel Rukundo and Peterson Inhensiko took their rivalry from home to regional level. Each of them won at least one race. But Usadadiya (three age group golds) and Kuc (two) were also instrumental in bagging some individual medals for Uganda in the open category.
It is surprisingly in the usually strong 13-14 girls age group that Uganda coached by Olivia Nalwadda and Thomas Tamale took a hit with just Peyton Suubi managing gold in the 200m freestyle.
AFRICA AQUATICS
ZONE III CHAMPIONSHIPS
FINAL STANDINGS
Uganda - 3,206
Tanzania - 2,753
Kenya - 1,843.50
Rwanda - 1,348
Burundi - 1,291
South Africa - 622
Eswatini - 162
Eritrea - 109
Djibouti - 95.50
Ethiopia - 61
