Uganda topped pool swimming at the 11th Africa Aquatics Zone III Championships, finishing well clear of challengers Kenya.
When the pool programme closed on Saturday at Kampala International School of Uganda, Bukoto, the hosts had 3,656 points thereby defending their title for a third successive time Kenya were second on 2,728, with Tanzania third on 2,547. Rwanda (1,356) and Burundi (927) followed.
The medal table told the same story. The six time (2015, 2021, 2023 – 2026) Zone champions Uganda collected 83 gold, 58 silver and 43 bronze across age-group, open-age and relay events. Kenya’s 25 golds and Tanzania’s 20 were the nearest challenge.
The relays were a Ugandan fortress. The hosts won 15 of the 16. The only one they lost was the boys’ 15 and over 4×100m freestyle relay, where Kenya touched first by three hundredths of a second, 3:36.83 to 3:36.86.
Uganda’s most dominant swimmer was Zara Marie Mbanga. The 15-year-old won all five 15-16 girls events she entered: the 50m, 100m and 200m breaststroke, the 200m freestyle and the 200m individual medley. She added gold in the open 400m IM (Individual medley) and 400m freestyle. Her perfect record earned her the 15-16 girls’ age-group title.
Her teammate Tyrah Muganzi won more age-group medals, seven to five, but two were silver.
Opolot’s balancing act
In the 13-14 girls, Gabriella Opolot won four golds, in the 50m breaststroke, 100m butterfly and both backstroke sprints, plus two silvers.
“I am really proud of myself for being able to push to my limits,” she said. “I’m also very thankful to my coach and my parents for helping me get to the position I am in right now.”
The spread across strokes was deliberate. “I have been concentrating on doing my best in all of my strokes, especially in my fifties,” she said after sharing that she had beaten all her personal bests.
Namesake Gabriella Eleanor Ndyanabo, competed in the same age group and said she was happy to have turned what she described as disappointing nationals in July into a golden week in Zone III. She won the 800m freestyle in 9:57.88 and the 400m free, then held off Tanzania’s Nicolene Viljoen in the 200m free, 2:15.41 to 2:17.27.
“We have been training stamina a lot,” she said of her final 50 metres kicks in the middle and long distance plus the relays where she said she ‘had to put my head down and not breathe in the last 25m so I could not cost Uganda a gold.”
Viljoen was Tanzania’s standout. She won the 14 and under 200m butterfly in 2:41.49, plus the 13-14 200m backstroke, breaststroke and IM.
“I feel good and proud of myself, but I expected more,” she said. She struggled over the last 100m of the 200m fly but said she had learnt to pace herself.
Jonathan Kaweesa won the 15-16 boys 50m butterfly and 200m IM, with four silvers and two bronze medals. He said a new gym routine had changed his preparation.
Tara Kisawuzi won the 17 and over 50m and 100m breaststroke and took five silvers. She finishes high school in two weeks and joins university two months later, and hopes her swimming improves there.
In the 17 and over, Uganda’s Gloria Muzito and Tanzania’s Filbertha Demello took four golds each but the hosts’ squad was made deeper with the presence of Kirabo Namutebi. Matthew Mwase and Ryland Andrew Mathew won three apiece.
Ibrahim Lule won six golds in the 12 and under boys. Kenya’s Don Ndirangu (13-14 boys) and Katja Kimani (12 and under girls) took five each.
Masters earn revenge
In the separate masters standings, Uganda Masters ran away with 2,608 points from 52 golds, 51 silvers and 35 bronzes. Kenya Masters were second on 444, ahead of Tanzania Masters (154), Burundi Masters (128) and Rwanda Masters (23).
Zone III present Donald Rukare, who swum and won the men’s 55-59 50m backstroke, butterfly, and freestyle, described the swimming in the region as ‘scintillating’ and added that ‘water polo is still evolving and will hopefully take on the same path.’
Africa Aquatics Zone III Championships
Junior and Senior Swimming (points; gold-silver-bronze)
Uganda 3,656 (83-58-43)
Kenya 2,728 (25-39-45)
Tanzania 2,547 (20-27-31)
Rwanda 1,356 (1-3-4)
Burundi 927 (1-1-4)
Somalia 200 (0-1-0)
Djibouti 99 (0-1-1)
Masters Swimming (points; gold-silver-bronze)
1. Uganda Masters 2,608 (52-51-35)
2. Kenya Masters 444 (10-8-3)
3. Tanzania Masters 154 (3-2-0)
4. Burundi Masters 128 (5-0-2)
5. Rwanda Masters 23 (0-0-0)
Age group winners (by golds)
12 and under girls: Katja Kimani (KEN) – Five gold medals
12 and under boys: Ibrahim Lule (UGA) – Six gold, two silver
13-14 girls: Gabriella Opolot Asima (UGA) – Four gold, two silver
13-14 boys: Don Ndirangu (KEN) – Five gold, two bronze
15-16 girls: Zara Marie Mbanga (UGA) – Five gold
15-16 boys: Baraka Nyakundi (KEN) – Four gold
17 and over women: Filbertha Demello (TAN) – Four gold, one silver, five bronze
17 and over men: Matthew Mwase (UGA) Three gold, one silver, one bronze
7: golds won by Zara Mbanga, counting open events