The December 13-14 Jaguar Sprints at Rockwood Swimming Pool served a great end to the 2025 inter-club competition calendar.
The competition, organised by Jaguar Swim Club, brought back the “preliminaries and finals” format that has long been missed in domestic swimming.
They also stretched some of the age groups like the 14 and Over, which allowed for some interesting races especially among the girls, and the 11-13, which pushed the limits of the 11 and 12 year olds.
To cap it off, the organizers included prize money; Shs120,000 for topping a race in the 9-10 and 11-13 age groups while those that topped races in the 14 and Over group got Shs150,000 each. The podium finishers in the lower 8 and Under age group received medals.
14 and Over
Gliders’ Tyrah Muganzi (30.61) beat an elite field of Zara Mbanga (Jaguar), Mackayla Ssali, Crystal Ssemanda (Dolphins), and Karen Mwangi (individual) in the 14 and Over girls’ 50m fly final.
Mbanga led the 50m back (33.40) with Muganzi and Mwangi finishing second and third respectively ahead of Crystal and Black Panthers’ Abigail Kyosimye. In the 100m individual medley (IM), Mbanga (1:12.89) and Muganzi (1:14.60) were joined on the podium by Ssali (1:16.27) in a final that also included Mwangi and Jaguar’s Alexis Akol.
In the 50m breaststroke, Mbanga clocked 37.03 to top the age group with Ssali and Muganzi keeping on the podium with her.
Tara Kisawuzi made one appearance in the gala and cashed in with 27.90 in the 14 and Over girls’ 50m free final ahead of Mbanga and Crystal. But her moment of pride had come earlier in the prelims where she clocked a 26.38 personal best.
For the boys, Silverfin Academy’s Larry Graig Feni (26.97) edged Mathew Mwase, Torpedoes duo Jonathan Kaweesa and Kyle Kimuli, plus Black Panthers’ Kyle Lugonjo in the 50m fly.
In the 50m back, Mathew (29.10) topped with Feni (30.40) and Dolphins’ Kyle Kiwagama (30.49) completing the podium in a final that also included Kaweesa (31.00) and Arthur Mwase (31.23).
Feni (1:04.71) returned to the top of the age group in the 100m IM with Arthur, 16, (1:05.57) marginally beating his older brother Mathew, 18, to second by 27 microseconds.
Arthur threatened to keep on the podium by finishing 3rd in a 50m breaststroke prelims but he ended up 4th (33.43) as Feni (29.95), Kimuli (30.59), and Kaweesa (33.07) took the first three positions.
After a restful morning, Mathew came back to top the 50m free final (25.33) ahead of fastest qualifier Feni and Kaweesa.
11-13 Years
Ozpreys’ Gabriella Opolot, 13, topped the 11-13 girls’ 50m fly (32.52) finishing ahead of Jaguar’s Shivon Nagginda (32.78) and Aquatic Academy Kampala (AAK)’s 11 year old Mushirah Nabatanzi (33.70).
Despite being second qualifier behind Shivon in the prelims, Gabriella also won the 50m back (33.95) with Black Panthers’ Daniela Munguci and Dolphins’ Jinan Nakato finishing second and third respectively.
Gabriella made it three in three on Day One of the gala with another win in the 100m IM (1:15.87) ahead of Nakato (1:16.06) and Munguci (1:19.22).
Gabriella started her Sunday by topping the 50m breaststroke (37.69) and was joined on the podium by Gliders’ Francesca Nazziwa, and Nabatanzi.
Gabriella ensured she had a clean sweep of the available Shs600,000 for her age group by touching at the same time as freestyle sensation Nakato, 12, in their 50m free final.
For the boys, the 50m fly was topped by Dolphins’ Manuel Ssemanda who clocked 29.65 in both the prelims and finals to finish ahead of 13 year old agemate Baraka Oboke from Tumaini Aquatic Academy and Torpedoes’ Elijah Ayesiga, 12.
Altona’s William Sanford made amends for missing the fly podium by winning the 50m back (32.90) ahead of Manuel (34.15) and another Altona swimmer Raymond Ssali (34.80). Sanford also topped the 100m IM (1:11.35) ahead of Manuel and Ayesiga.
Ayesiga (36.16) got his first win in the 50m breaststroke with Manuel and Baraka joining him on the podium. Sanford returned to the top of the podium in the 50m free (27.10) ahead of Manuel and Baraka.
9-10 Years
Aya Adams, of Blue Whale Aquatic Venture, edged the 9-10 girls in the 50m fly qualifying for the final in 34.91 and edging it in 35.57 seconds ahead of the Gliders’ duo Talitha Siima (37.03) and Sonia Amaro (39.48).
Adams also topped the 50m back (37.09) with AAK’s Husnah Kajumbi finishing second ahead of Siima.
Vision for Africa had three finalists in the 50m breaststroke with Blessing Namugga (43.33) topping the race ahead of Siima and Adams as Bella Nalunkuma and Shafiga Nagginda finishing 4th and 5th respectively.
Adams collected her third envelope in the 50m free ahead of Amaro and Namugga.
The boys’ 50m fly was dominated by Jaguar’s Ashley Kimuli who clocked 35.01 in the finals after qualifying with a 36.43. His teammate Austin Wanyama was second (36.60) ahead of Dolphins’ Daniel Sebaana (38.27).
Kimuli made it two in two in the 50m back (38.45) with Wanyama (40.66) edging Ozpreys’ Geremiah Opolot, 9, to second by just 17 microseconds.
Geremiah topped the 50m breaststroke (42.46) – microseconds ahead of Dolphins’ Gabriel Isabirye, and Wanyama.
Wanyama saved best for last to cash in but needed a personal best 33.30 in the 50m free final to edge Isabirye and fastest qualifier Kimuli.
8 and Under
Black Panthers’ Michaela Mwesigwa edged the 8 and Under girls in the 25m fly with a time of 19:53 – just microseconds ahead of Ozpreys’ Halwah Kayondo and about a second ahead of Tumaini’s Tushiya Oboke.
Mwesigwa, 7, also won the 25m back (22.96) but Tushiya (22.98) and Kayondo (23.24) switched places to second and third respectively.
Kayondo, 8, topped the 25m breaststroke (24.26) on Sunday ahead of Swan’s Vichelle Arinaitwe and Jaguar’s Bernice Alinaitwe.
Arinaitwe won the 25m free (15.59) ahead of Tushiya and Kayondo, who had podium finishes in all the four events of her age group.
Altona’s Elisha Rukundo edged the boys in the 25m fly in a time of 17.87 seconds – finishing ahead of Silverfin’s Mathew Ssaka and Jaguar’s Samuel Mamawi.
Ssaka edged the 25m back (18.94) with Rukundo finishing second and Gliders’ Raphael Wobugaba joining the podium.
Rukundo returned to the top in the 25m breaststroke (21.48) on Sunday with Harvey Ssengendo of Jaguar edging Ssaka to second place.
The Altona eight year old later picked his third gold ahead of Ssaka and Mamawi in the 25m free.
JAGUAR SPRINTS
TOP COLLECTORS
14 and Over
B: Larry Greg Feni (Shs450,000), Mathew Mwase (Shs300,000)
G: Zara Mbanga (Shs450,000), Tyra Muganzi (Shs150,000), Tara Kisawuzi (Shs150,000)
11-13 Years
B: William Sanford (Shs360,000), Elijah Ayesiga (Shs120,000), Manuel Ssemanda (Shs120,000)
G: Gabriella Opolot (Shs600,000), Jinan Nakato (Shs120,000)
9-10 Years
B: Ashley Kimuli (Shs240,000), Geremiah Opolot (Shs120,000), Austin Wanyama (Shs120,000)
G: Aya Adams (Shs360,000), Blessing Namugga (Shs120,000)
8 and Under
B: Elisha Rukundo (3 gold), Mathew Ssaka (1 gold)
G: Michaela Mwesigwa (2 gold), Halwah Kayondo (1 gold), Vichelle Arinaitwe (1 gold)