Meya joins Ugandan PB party in Hungary
Avice Meya of competing in the 50m butterfly event at the Nationals last month. PHOTO BY ISMAIL KEZAALA
What you need to know:
It will interesting to see how Meya recovers and if she can get close to Jamila Lunkuse’s 27.43 national record registered at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow – Scotland.
KAMPALA. Fortune continued to flow Team Uganda's way at the Fina World Swimming Championships in Budapest, Hungary on Friday as Avice Meya clocked 33.05 in the women's 50m butterfly.
Meya's best time before Budapest was 33:19 registered at the Cana Zone IV in Bulawayo – Zimbabwe in February.
She tried to lower it at the Islamic Solidarity Games held in May in Baku –Azerbaijan but managed 33.49. Unfortunately, her 32.39 from the short course National Championships held last month was wrongly entered for Budapest.
“Sprints are very unpredictable most especially if the pressure is intense,” coach Muzafaru Muwanguzi, explained.
“She (Meya) has not rested since then (Baku) but going fast or slow in a sprint is a very psychological thing and it majorly depends on the mood. You have less time to make up for a mistake," he added commending his team for their mental toughness at this championship.
Before this morning’s 50m freestyle and butterfly races for Ismah Serunjoji and Meya at the Duna Arena, Team Uganda boasted three personal best (PB) times – one a national record.
Serunjoji rests after competing in the 50m freestyle during the Nationals last month. PHOTO BY ISMAIL KEZAALA
Joshua Ekirikubinza set a new national record in the 50m breaststroke (32.77) on Tuesday and posted a commendable 58.79 in his first 100 freestyle (long course) event on Wednesday.
Serunjoji, 24, had also managed a new PB in the 50 fly (28.59) when the championships started on Sunday but that is how far the luck went for the Supra swimmer.
Swimming in lane nine in heat two of 13, this morning, Serunjoji started strong but faded to finish sixth out of 10 and post 27.37 in the 50 free.
In a fast paced heat that had the best swimmer Denilson Da Costa from Mozambique post 23:93, Serunjoji will be gutted not to have pushed closer or even lower than his 26.30 entry time.
However, Muwanguzi advised that to consolidate their gains from Hungary, the trio "just have to keep racing again and again till they master the art."
Meya will definitely ‘go again’ in the 50m free - another race where she has made an incredible improvement from 29:87 in Bulawayo to 28:86 in Baku – in her final race at the 17th World Championships tomorrow.
It will interesting to see how Meya recovers and if she can get close to Jamila Lunkuse’s 27.43 national record registered at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow – Scotland.
"Tomorrow is more interesting than today, but we leave that to God," Meya said.
