CANA: Uganda's swimmers raring to go

By Michael Nsubuga

UGANDA’S team to the CANA zone 3 and 4 championships that starts Thursday at the Kampala Parents School pool is more than ready to bring glory to the country.

Action for the three-day event starts at 9.00am with over 250 swimmers from eleven countries in action.

“We are ready. We have been preparing for a whole year at club level and have selected an experienced side that will do us proud,” head coach Muzafar Muwanguzi said after the team’s last training session at Kampala Parents yesterday.

“We are looking at the general performance of team Uganda, so we have been working to ensure our swimmers are among the top performers so that our placing in the overall standing counts,” Muwanguzi remarked.

Muwanguzi said Uganda will greatly benefit from the experience of UK based Timberly Hindu and brothers Nabil, Fadhil and Adel Saleh who are based in Nairobi.

Having participated in previous CANA events and the Africa Junior championship last year Arnold Kisulo, Elisha Ekirikubinza, Jethro Ssengonzi and Rebecca Ssegonzi will also not only look to add more medals in their cabinets but also improving on their personal best times.

Theodore Muhebwa, Katrina Ssangalyambogo, Nuwa Sserunjogi, Tendo Mukalazi, Anthea Mudanye, Maya Homesking and Tara Behnseh, among others are also expected to lift team Uganda.

Last year in Zambia, led by Olympian Jamila Lunkuse, Uganda boys’ team picked 3 silver medals and two bronze for a total of five while the girls’ team collected 7 gold, 3 silver and three bronze to return with a total of 16 medals.

Uganda’s medal count was limited by the small number of swimmers they took to the event. Uganda entered only 16 swimmers while most countries had double the number of athletes.

So with the event on local soil Uganda who has entered 38 is expected to collect more medals.