Ugandan swimmers record personal bests at African Championship
He improved his 400m freestyle race time from 4:46:97 to 4:31:80, 100backstroke from 1:09:48 to 1:07:53, 200freestyle from 2:12:65 to 2:09:87, 800free from 9:42:33 to 9:31:68; the 400IM from 5:28:65 to 5:16:97 and the 200backstroke time from 2:26:95 to 2:21:38. He also ventured in the 5km Open Water race where he made 1hr:01:41seconds.
The Ugandan swimming team that represented Uganda at the Africa Junior Championships in Mauritius. Photo by Michael Nsubuga
NewVision Reporter
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Ugandan national junior swimmers showed there is room for improvement after they posted personal bests at the 15th edition of the Africa Aquatics Swimming and Open Water Swimming Championships in Mauritius.
Uganda was represented at the Cote d'Or National Sports Complex, Saint Pierre, Mauritius, by six swimmers that included Karimah Katemba, Tara Kisawuzi, Swagia Mubiru, Tendo Kaumi, Heer Usadadiya and Daniel Rukundo.
Despite not winning medals the younger stars managed personal bests showing there is room for further improvement to match competition at that level in the near future.
Heer Usadadiya, 14, was arguably the best Ugandan at the outing with personal bests in all his races.
He improved his 400m freestyle race time from 4:46:97 to 4:31:80, 100backstroke from 1:09:48 to 1:07:53, 200freestyle from 2:12:65 to 2:09:87, 800free from 9:42:33 to 9:31:68; the 400IM from 5:28:65 to 5:16:97 and the 200backstroke time from 2:26:95 to 2:21:38. He also ventured in the 5km Open Water race where he made 1hr:01:41seconds.
This was also Swagia Mubiru and Daniel Rukundo’s undertaking at the championship from which they registered 1hr 12min 30 seconds and 1hr 12minutes and 47seconds respectively.
Tara Kisawuzi also managed two personal bests improving her 100m freestyle and 50m butterfly time from 1:01:73 to 1:00:47 and from 28:97 to 28:73 respectively, and made the finals in all her events.
Team captain Kaumi also registered two personal bests improving his 50m butterfly and 50m backstroke time from 27:51 to 25:96 and from 29:17 to 28:83 respectively.
“Generally the team’s performance was very good compared to previous teams at this level. They made personal bests and each of them made the finals in different events,” team coach Ezra Kalari stated.
“Kaumi was able to make the final in the 50m freestyle and in the 50m back and 50m fly; Kisawuzi was able to make the final in the 50mfreestyle and 50m fly as well as in the 100m fly and 100m free; Usadadiya made the final in the 200m back; and all our open water swimmers were able to finish within the time frame and their time recorded,”
The championship that was dominated by South Africa and Egyptian swimmers was a World Championship and an Olympic Games qualifier.