Four-year-old Kitonsa awarded for resilience
Kitonsa beat his struggles to complete a 15m swimming pool’s length at the schools’ sports day. PHOTO MAKHTUM MUZIRANSA
KAMPALA- Four year old Austin Kitonsa won over hearts when he exhibited resilience to complete the length of a 15m swimming pool at his school’s sports day over a month ago.
With a kicking board in tow, Kitonsa – who has been learning the sport for the last two years – dived into the pool but spent over 15 minutes moving back, forth and sideways till he kicked his way to the deep end of the pool.
Like a man on a mission, the middle class pupil at Time to Play Nursery School, Najjera resisted attempts from his coach Henry Kakooza and teachers to save him the hassle.
Kitonsa definitely has better peers swimming at clubs but his determination is one of the reasons Uganda Swimming Federation (USF) has got to cast their nets wider and tap talent in schools and all over the country.
“I was particularly struck by Austin’s willpower and determination during the gala,” Dr Donald Rukare, USF president and one of the invited guests at the sports day said.
By the time Rukare returned, on Friday last week, to reward Kitonsa with goggles, a cap and bag, the enthusiastic swimmer – who always carries his swimming costume even on days when the school timetable does not allocate pool time – was completing the 15m pool at his school with relative ease. “Young swimmers like Austin, if given the right technical guidance, can be the future of Ugandan swimming,” Rukare said.
