Dolphins top Silverfin Championships

KAMPALA. Dolphins Swim Club underlined their form by coming top with 1,304 at the two-day Silverfin Championship held at Gems Cambridge International School, Butabiika over the weekend.

Dolphins can credit their prize to their boys’ team which polled 790 points. The girls had 476, 110 points behind the formidable Seals’ girls.

Seals finished second overall with 1,079 points while the organisers completed the podium finishes with 819 at the championship that attracted 10 clubs.

But as far as individual performances go, United States International University (USIU-Kenya)’s Billy Scott Irakoze, 22, posted arguably the best time in Ugandan pool; 24.08 in the 15 and over 50m freestyle.

The Burundian’s pace was good for a chasing Tendo Mukalazi, 16, who went under 25 seconds for the first time in his career. Dolphins’ Mukalazi, who alongside sister Kirabo Namutebi need Shs10m to represent Uganda at the Cana Zone III Championship due next week in Sudan, clocked 24.88.

No fully local-trained swimmer had hit this before. This feat and the 100 IM (1:04.55) triumph over Irakoze (1:05.01) in the 100 IM excited Mukalazi, whose 41 points from the gala placed him third in the age group behind teammate Darren Ssamula (44) and Silverfin’s Samora Lumonya (49).

Namutebi, swimming in the 13-14 years age group, was equally inspirational with her 27.15 in the 50m free. The 13 year old’s new time is over 10 microseconds below the Uganda Swimming Federation (USF) AAA motivational time (27.29) for the age group.

By the way, Namutebi posted the best times among all girls – younger and older – in all six events she did over the weekend. In five of those, including the 50 fly (29.90) where she went under 30 for the first time, Namutebi bettered times posted by all boys in her age group.

It is only in the 100m breaststroke (1:21.22) that Seals’ dominant Francesco Kagugube (1:16.78), Silverfin’s Ampaire Namanya (1:17.46) and Dolphins’ Mikka Kiggundu (1:19.93) got a sight of her times.

TOP PERFORMERS (POINTS)

8 & Under
B: Jeremy Rieck (Sailfish) – 68
G: Krystal Kwagala (Hillside PS) – 50
9-10 Years
B: Jordan Ssamula (Dolphins) – 54
G: Karimah Katemba (Dolphins) – 57
11-12 Years
B: John Kafumba (Seals) – 72
G: Karla Mugisha (Silverfin) – 66
13-14 Years
B: Francesco Kagugube (Seals) – 54
G: Alexis Kituuka (Seals) – 56
15 and Over
B: Samora Lumonya (Silverfin) – 49
G: Selina Katumba (Silverfin) – 66
KIRABO NAMUTEBI’S TIMES
100 IM – 1:10.32
100 breast – 1:21.22
50 breast – 34.85
50 backstroke – 31:29
50 butterfly – 29.90
50 freestyle – 27.15

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