Tibatemwa sets new Ugandan 100m freestyle record

SPORT | SWIMMING

Joshua Ekirikubinza Tibatemwa continued his impressive show at the 2017 World Aquatics Championships in Hungary when he clocked 58.79 seconds in the 100m freestyle race to record another personal best at the ongoing event.

He bettered his entered time of 59.00 as he swam in the day's heat three. 

The 20-year-old finished 7th in the race that was won by Guam's Stephens Jagger, who clocked 52.35 seconds over the long course.

And despite finishing 104th out of 113 swimmers who competed in that stroke, his time is a new national record over the distance.

It dwarfs Ronald Daisuke Ssegwanyi's 1:01.86 set at the Nambu University International Aquatics Center, during the 2015 Universiade.

Tibatemwa now holds the three fastest times for a Ugandan swimmer in the 50m breast, including the 33:00 he managed at the 16th World Championships in Kazan, Russia in 2015.

On Tuesday, he also improved his 50m breaststroke after clocking 32.77.

Tibatemwa also represented Uganda at the 2016 Rio Olympics where he clocked 25.98 in the men's 50m freestyle.

Action now awaits Uganda captain Avice Meya who enters the pool on Friday in the 50m freestyle and butterfly where she aims for a sub-32 performance.

Another Ugandan swimmer, Ismail Serunjoji, also set a new national long course record when he clocked 28:57 seconds in the 50m butterfly earlier.