Swimmers told to expect tough competition at Africa Champs

Tendo Mukalazi wades through the pool during a previous competition in Kampala. He is heading to Cairo, Egypt. FILE PHOTO

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Swimming. Six swimmers picked to represent Uganda at the continental junior champiionship due October 17-20 in Cairo.

KAMPALA. Coach Peter Mugisha has warned his swimmers it won’t be business as usual when they battle it out against the continent’s best youngsters in the Africa Junior Championships due October 17–20 in Cairo, Egypt.
Mugisha and Lindasay Takkunen will manage a team of six swimmers at the championships. Of the six, only Tendo Mukalazi is currently in the country.
He will be joined by USA-based siblings Rebecca and Jesse Ssengonzi, and Kenya-based Katrina Ssangalyambo and brothers Nabil and Fadhil Saleh.

Nabil, Mukalazi and Rebecca were some of Uganda’s medallists at the Cana Zone III and IV Championships held in Kampala last year while Jesse missed the event through sickness.
Mukalazi and Nabil returned to the zonal competitions held in Angola in May and still won medals but Mugisha insists that level of competition doesn’t compare with what he anticipates in Cairo. “They will be competing against each country’s best, forget Cana where countries send their second-rate swimmers while others don’t participate at all,” Mugisha said.
“That said, I am convinced we are well prepared. And even if the swimmers have a tough time there, the experience and exposure they get will be invaluable and will certainly prepare them for the future,” he added.