Four in a row: Uganda extend Zone 3 dominance with 10th swimming title

Uganda has successfully defended the Africa Aquatics Zone 3 Championships following four days of competition at the eight-lane, 25-metre swimming pool at Kampala International School Uganda (KISU) in Bukoto.

The victory marked Uganda's 10th title in the championships, extending its winning streak to four consecutive editions since 2023.

Uganda dominated both the men's and women's categories to accumulate 3,940 points, with the men contributing 1,836 points and the women 1,960.

Kenya finished second with 2,976 points, while Tanzania claimed third place with 2,737 points.

Rwanda finished fourth with 1,478 points, followed by Burundi with 961, Somalia with 200 and Djibouti with 99 points in a competition that attracted seven countries.

Sudan also participated through representation, while close to 400 swimmers from the participating nations competed in the championships.

The competition also featured the Masters category for swimmers aged 25 and above, a format that is gaining popularity across the region.

Uganda capitalised on home advantage to dominate the Masters category in both the men's and women's events, collecting 2,608 points. Kenya finished second with 444 points, followed by Tanzania with 154, Burundi with 128 and Rwanda with 23 points.

Besides the strength of its junior swimmers, Uganda's success was boosted by the participation of elite swimmers, including Kirabo Namutebi and Gloria Muzito, who are based in the United States, as well as Andrew Mathew, who is based in Australia.

Mathew expressed gratitude for the opportunity to represent Uganda for the second time at an international event, describing it as his first appearance for the national team on home soil.

Uganda finished second in the senior competition, with Rwanda taking third place. In the junior category, Uganda also finished second, while Tanzania secured third place.

Africa Aquatics Zone 3 president Donald Rukare, who also competed in the Masters category and won gold, thanked the participating countries and commended the swimmers for their high standards, noting that many had broken national records.

Rukare also announced that Tanzania will host the next edition of the championships in 2027. The Ugandan contingent handed over the competition flag to Tanzanian officials during the closing proceedings.

"We are impressed with the standard of the swimmers, and many are going to represent their respective countries at international events, including the Africa Youth Games, the Beijing World Championships, and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics," Rukare noted.

Following the pool events, the competition shifted to open-water swimming, which was scheduled to take place at Entebbe Sailing Club on Sunday.