Kiiza, Kajumbi star at Masters swimming championships

Dolphins Swim Club Kate Kiiza was the star of the day winning nine races in the first round of the 2016 National Masters Swimming Championships held at Gems International School pool on Saturday.

Kiiza opened her clean sweep when she won the 200m freestyle race in a time of 4:35.98 before she beat Dorothy Balaba (1:29.57) in the 50m freestyle in 54.03 seconds.

She also came first in the 25m back, breaststroke, and butterfly and in the 100m freestyle events where only Balaba was the nearest challenger.

Irene Nabuire of Bank of Uganda was the other second best performer among the ladies taking the 200m and 50m freestlye races in 5:44.57 and 1:00.25 respectively.

She also beat team mate Hadijah Nampijja (3:00.71) in the 100m freestyle race by over one minute before helping her team to the runners up slot in the freestlye relay events.

 Justin Namata in action during the 25m backstroke race during the Masters Swimming Championships at Gems

In the men's category, the day belonged to Latif Kajumbi (Bank of Uganda) who also came first in six races and finished second in two others.

Kajumbi won the 200 & 50m freestyle as well as the 25m back and breast events before winning the 50fly,back and fly and the 100m freestyle races and was instrumental in ensuring Bank of Uganda won the 200m freestyle relay event alongside Ronnie Alinda, Andrew Elwana and Elisha Semata.

He was only beaten by Sailfish's Joseph Kabogozza in the 25m breast and freestyle races.

Other individual outstanding performances came from Rieck Christian, Swalleh Senteza, Godfrey Kizza and Peter Sebanakita who clocked 34.61, 45.84, 43.02 and 38.62 in the 50m freestyle races in the different age categories.

New Vision's Sandra Arinaitwe, Bruce Twesigye and Thomas Murukas and Grace Kiggundu, Solome Kampi, Esther Naddunga, Arinaitwe, Marris Nakayaga, Priscilla Mutebi, Donald Rukare and Simon Peter Mugisha all had good moments in the other few races they competed in.