Uganda starts strong as CANA Zone 3 Swimming Championships start

Ugandan swimmers gave a good account of themselves as the 6th edition of the CANA Zone 3 Swimming Championship started at the Kampala International School of Uganda (KISU) pool on Thursday.

By press time and after event-18 out of the 42 on the day, Uganda had collected 27 medals (8 gold, 11 silver, and 8 bronze) in the annual event that has attracted swimmers from six countries.

Uganda started their medal haul in the 800m freestyle race where Karimah Katemba won gold after clocking 10:23.40 to relegate Tanzania’s Ladha Natalia and compatriot Natalie Lutalo to silver and bronze, in the 14&under year’s category.

Macrine Kalombo of Kenya in action in the 200m breaststroke race on day-one of the CANA Zone 3 Swimming Championships at KISU pool

Akram Lubega, John Kafumbe, and Luzinda Nakafu in the boys 14&under,15&over, and the girls’15&over respectively also picked silver and a bronze over the 32-lap race, in the 25m short course pool.

The Ugandans continued to shine when Rahmah Kalungi (37.74) and Martina Antisha (37.04) bagged gold in the 50m breaststroke races in the girls and boys 12&under and 13-14 categories where Aleena Katemba, Arthur Mwase, and Amelia Mudanye managed bronze in each of their races respectively.

Bifwoli Tabuka (left) of Kenya, Collins Saliboko (center) of Tanzania and Adnan Kabuye (right) of Uganda pose with their 100m backstroke silver, gold and bronze medals

Arthur Tayebwa (1:05.10) and John Kafumbe (1:06.21) would make a 1-2 finish in the 100m backstroke race where Kenya’s Abdul Bagha was good for bronze.

The Tanzanians dominated the girls 12&under 100m breaststroke race where Filbertha Demello Lina Goyayi made a 1-2 finish with Kenya’s Ruth Lindkvist finishing thirdHeer Usadadiya, Tara Kisawuzi, Tyaba Kiggundu, Nsereko Nathan, and Swagia Mubiru were all good for silver in the boys’ 12&under, girls’ 13-14, boys’ 13-14 and girls 15-6 categories respectively while Adnan Kabuye (1:01.30) settled for bronze in the boys 100m backstroke race won by Tanzania’s Collins Saliboko in a time of 1:00.61 with compatriot Tabuka Bifwoli picking silver in 1:01.02.

Karimah Katemba of Uganda in action on day-one of the CANA Zone 3 Swimming Championships at KISU pool

In the other races where the Ugandans were beaten to the gold, they ensured podium finishes with either silver or bronze medals or brightening their chances of winning the overall championship which will be determined by the overall points collected.

The event was officially set in motion by the Assistant Commissioner of Sports in the Ministry of Education and Sports Sam Odongo who was in the company of CANA Zone 3 president Donald Rukare.

Six countries including Eritrea, Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi and hosts Uganda have swimmers competing in the four-day event that will also have events in Water Polo and Open Water Swimming at the UWEC Beach in Entebbe on Sunday.