Making World Championships a dream come true for Meya

Avice Meya of Silverfin Academy competing in a 50m butterfly event. PHOTO by Ismail Kezaala

Kampala.

Avice Kakayi Meya will for the umpteenth time captain Team Uganda at another competition – the July 23-30 World Swimming Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

Meya, 22, started swimming at six, under Abdallah Muhammad at Greenhill Academy but took a two-years break, to concentrate on her studies, nine years later.

She returned in 2013, briefly training with former Uganda Swimming Federation (USF) vice president – technical Abel Ddamulira, before joining Seals Swim Club.

Her perseverance quickly saw her make the team for the Cana Zone III & IV Championships where her best performance was the 33:00 in the 50m freestyle.

Meya, however, came into the limelight when she captained Team Uganda to the 2015 Cana Zone IV Championships in Angola. She then joined Silverfin Academy in Bukoto and has since captained Uganda at every regional or international games she has been to.

“It has been good experience to lead the national team,” said Meya, who will be joined by another debutant at this level Ismah Serunjoji plus Olympian and three time World Championship competitor Joshua Ekirikubinza.

“Leadership has helped me improve my performances. The team spirit has grown too and more swimmers have represented Uganda under my captaincy,” she added.

Meya entered the Budapest event with times made at the Islamic Solidarity Games in Baku, Azerbaijan in May.

She clocked 28:86 in the 50m free and 32:39, a national longcourse record, for 50m butterfly – races she will do at the Danube Arena.

“For two years I have worked to be at the World Championships. I feel like my work is being appreciated,” said the sprinter, who has had to compete with younger faster swimmers and put in double training sessions per day to build her technique.

“The 13 and 14 year old girls are being brought up nicely. That is why at home, I do a lot of the long races in the open category. It does not matter where I finish as long as they get the best out of me,” added Meya, whose only competition in the open category here has been Galinda Rachael and Anthea Mudanye.

The realistic goal for Meya in Hungary would be to cut her times, which can be quite a challenge for debutants.

“At least I have been to the Islamic and University Games so I know what to expect in Budapest. I made the semis and finals in Baku and South Korea but the World Championships are different,” she said.

“I think as soon as you do your first race, you are able to relax,” Meya, who will rely on teammates, coach Muzafaru Muwanguzi, team manager Moses Mwase and USF president Dr Donald Rukare for support, said.

Profile
Name: Avice Meya
Age: 22 Years
Parents: Andrew (cricketer) and Sayson Meya (basketballer, high jumper)
School: Kyambogo University
Club: Silverfin Academy
Biggest Championships: Cana Zone III, Cana Zone IV, All Africa Games (2015), World Univeristy Games (2015), World Islamic Games (2017), World Championships (2017)