Dolphins top Kenya Junior Swimming Championships again

Ugandan junior swimmers continued their regional dominance when they again came top at the Kenya National Junior Swimming Championships in Nairobi over the weekend.

Led by swimmers from the Dolphins Swim Club and the Silverfin, the two Ugandan clubs dominated the three-day event finishing first and second overall with 563 and 195.5 points respectively.

The Dolphins who have dominated this event for the last five years yet again led the way dominating the boys' 8 years category with Jordan Ssamula, Ethan Ssengooba and Daniel Nuwagaba completing a 1, 2, 3 finish with 23, 11 and 5 overall points respectively.

It was the same in the 11 years category where Tendo Kaumi collected 25 points with Kevin Rugaaju sharing second spot with Makini Schools' Michael Michuki on 8 points each.

Steve Magera and Arthur Tayebwa also got a combined 11 points in the category with Swagia Mubiru and Seals Club's Joy Cynthia Alande taking the first two positions in the girls' category, in the same age group.

A second overall placing for Fredrick Luzinda in the 7 and under category, a third for Zaabu Kyabayinze in the 9 years category as well as Pendo Kaumi's in the ten year old's category added to Dolphins overall performance.

Second placed Silverfin Academy also produced some exciting record setting performances with White Heather and Jason Malan bettering Rebecca Kamani (36.90) and Nobby Obuya's (36.74) 50m butterfly meet records in the 10 year category with a time of 35.48 and 35.53 respectively.

Silverfin's White Heather helped her team finish 2nd overall. Photo by Michael Nsubuga

It was also a good outing for Ba Raya Inell, 8, who won silver in the 25m breaststroke with a time of 24.56 behind Dolphins Aleena Katemba (24.44).

Karla Mugisha, Isabel Angemi and Hannah Kyanda, also put up impressive performances in the annual event that attracted 20 clubs. The Seals Club finished 14^th overall with Joy Alande as their best performer.

Combined team scores

1 Dolphins Swim Club Kampala 563pts

2 Siverfin Academy 195.5

3 Makini Schools 192

4 Bubbles Swim Club 186

5 Loreto Convent Valley Road 124.5

14 Seals Swim Club 30