Uganda wins CANA Zone 3 Swimming Championships

Uganda collected 2827 points to win the overall crown as the 6th edition of the CANA Zone 3 Swimming Championships ended at the KISU pool on Saturday.

A number of new meet records and personal bests were also registered by different swimmers as the event for the first time also included Water Polo exhibition matches between teams from Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.

Uganda won owing to the number of entries (90) but it was Tanzania that came second on 2638 points that dominated in almost all age categories after their swimmers swept the individual awards.

L-R: Captains of the top 3 boys teams; Collins Salibogo (Tanzania), Adnan Kabuye (Uganda) and Bifwoli Tabuka (Kenya) pose with the overall boys trophies

Apart from Uganda’s Ttyaba Kigundu who topped the 13-14 years men’s category with 123 points, it was Tanzania’s Demello Filbertha and Austin Okore in the 12&under, Sophia Latiff in the 13-14, Save Ria in the 15-16 and Collins Saliboko in the 17&over who walked away with the individual gongs.

Ttyaba (34.48 & 1:11.52) had registered personal bests as he opened his account by winning two silver in the 50m breaststroke and backstroke races respectively. He was beaten to the gold by compatriot Ian Aziku and Tanzania’s Romeo-Mihaly who won the races in 33.76 and 1:08.85.

He would then add a 200m breaststroke gold in 2:49.52 where Nathan Nsereko and Kenya’s Jesse Kioko picked silver and bronze respectively. Gold in the 100m breast in 1:14.51 where he beat Nsereko and 2silver in the 50m backstroke and 50m fly won by Pendo Kaumi in 28.67 as well as other silver in the 50m backstroke won by Tanzania’s Romeo-Mihaly Mwaipasi which he crowned with gold in the 3km Open Water Swimming ensured he was arguably Uganda’s best male swimmer.

Rahmah Kalungi who was second overall in the Girls 12&under and with 5 gold and Swagia Mubiru with 3 gold including one from open water and 3 silver, and Karimah Katemba (3gold, 1silver and 1 bronze were some of the best females for Uganda.

L-R: Captains of the top 3 girls teams; Swagia Mubiru (Uganda), Victoria Okumu (Kenya) and Ria Save (Tanzania) pose with their trophies af

Tara Kisawuzi’s 30.30 rewrote Kirabo Namutebi’s 50m butterfly record while Pendo Kaumi and Steve Magera’s 28.67 and 26.43 over the same distance were also recorded as new meet records just like John Kafumbe’s 2:04.85 in the 200m freestyle.

Other meet records were made by Kalungi (1:05.98) and Tanzania’s Austin Okore in the 12&under 100m freestyle, Karimah Katemba (1:01.69) and Nathan Matimu (58.87) in the 13-14, Maria Bianchi (1:02.40) and Paulsen Settumba (54.76) in the 15-16 and by Tanzania’s Collins Saliboka (52.63) in the 17&over among others.

Uganda’s team manager and swimming coach Joseph Kabogozza was impressed by the performance of the and commended the parents of the swimmers and the Uganda Swimming Federation (USF) for organizing the event amidst all the challenges.

“The general performance of the team was very good considering all the challenges we have faced due to the lockdown e.g lack of training and close to 2 years without competition and losing some swimmers to other sports,” Kabogozza stated.

“Besides winning a number of gold medals and the overall position, quite a number of swimmers posted personal bests in various events.

“I would like to commend the USF and all the coaches that have worked so hard to prepare the swimmers and the parents for funding and supporting the various swimmers because without them we wouldn’t have swimmers representing the country,” Kabogozza noted.

Duncans Mugumya the sports commissioner in the Ministry of Education and Sports who was among the dignitaries that crowned the outstanding swimmers commended the young swimmers and their parents for taking on the sport at an early age but also encouraged them to venture in other sports as they try

He also advised the public to embrace the sport for all programs so that they can fend off lifestyle diseases and live healthily.

CANA Zone 3 president Donald Rukare, his vice Cassien Basogomba, CANA Treasurer Jace Naidoo and USF president Moses Mwase among other federation officials graced the crowning ceremony before the championship ended with an open water swimming event at Munyonyo on Sunday.

The next edition next year will be held in Dar-es-salam.

Combined team scores

Uganda 2827pts

Tanzania 2638

Kenya 2369

Sudan 131

Burundi 108

Eritrea 10

Individual winners

12&Under-Women

Demello Filbertha (Tanzania) 112pts

Rahmah Kalungi (Uganda) 102

Louis Irishula (Burundi) 100

12&Under-Men

Austin Okore (Tanzania) 194pts

Heer Usadadiya (Uganda) 104

Christian Fernandes (Tanzania) 103

13-14 years-Women

Sophia Latiff (Tanzania) 131pts

Caffini Duini (Kenya) 127

Natalia Ladha (Tanzania) 109

13-14-Men

Ttyaba Kigundu (Uganda) 123

Jesse Kioko (Kenya) 114

Romeo-Mihaly (Tanzania) 109

15-16-Women

Save Ria (Tanzania) 156pts

Maria Bianchi (Kenya) 142

Swagia Mubiru (Uganda) 126

15-16-Men

Tony Uwineza (Burundi) 139

Steve Magera (Uganda) 88

Delbert Ipilinga (Tanzania) 81

17&over-Women

Victoria Okumu (Kenya) 54

Esther Atoo (Uganda) 52

Rashidah Najjuma (Uganda) 44

17&over-Men

Collins Saliboko (Tanzania) 170

Carel Irakoze (Burundi) 139

Adnan Kabuye (Uganda) 124

Open Water Swimming

14&under

Rana Hani (Sudan) 41:36:67

Deshpande Khayti (Uganda) 41:54:44

15&Over- girls

Swagia Mubiru (Uganda) 41:39:16

Karla Mugisha (Uganda) 47:09:57

Fatima Sami (Sudan) 54:32:09

14&under boys

Tyaba Kigundu (Uganda) 37:17:36

Akram Lubega (Uganda) 37:22:03

Kyle Lugonjo (Uganda) 45:00:66

15&over boys

Mikka Kigundu (Uganda) 37:20:50

Ibrahim Yusif (Sudan) 43:08:30

Kamal Mohammed (Sudan) 46:45:03

Water Polo

Uganda 4pts

Tanzania 3pts

Kenya 1pt