Ugandan swimmers hold their own at Cana

More focus. Kabuye’s advance to the 15 and over age category started well at home before he blew hot and cold at the Cana Zone III Championships in Tanzania in October. 2018 should be a year for him to find that consistency he enjoyed in 2015 and 2016. PHOTO BY AMINAH BABIRYE

Kampala- Ugandan swimmers touched down at Entebbe Airport yesterday at 10.50am from the Cana Zone III Championships that climaxed Saturday at Haven for Peace Academy in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Though it was a low key return with mostly their families and friends to welcome the swimmers, the sense of accomplishment was evident in the way some like Avice Meya dangled medals through various airports.
Meya, Kirabo Namutebi and Ben Kaganda, were chief collectors as Team Uganda braved the humid coastal weather to amass 57 (18 gold, 16 silver and 23 bronze) medals at the three day championships, where they finished fourth on points – although they are yet to be officially declared by the zone as Kenya and Tanzania sought a last minute review of the overall and individual points.
The 17 Ugandan swimmers, who like debutants Sudan plus the invited Zambians and South Africans were disadvantaged from the onset due their small numbers, will be less bothered as most of them managed various personal bests and medals.
“The gala was exciting, we had lots of fun as a team even though the competition was really tight for us,” Namutebi, who won nine gold and three silvers to top the 12 and under category said.

Kaganda shines
Kaganda was equally in top form as he came second in a tight boys’ 13-14 years age category while others like Samora Lumonya and assistant captain Darren Ssamula, both 14, applied themselves well in the mid distances and 800m freestyle, where the latter won the championships’ second gold.
“I think I did well but I could have topped the age group. I should have done well in the breaststroke but my technique was off although I worked on my kick in the (200m) IM (individual medley) and maybe I could also have done better with my turns from time to time,” Kaganda explained.