Close calls for Uganda at Cairo swim meet

Uganda Aquatics ranked her 28.81 seconds in the women’s 50m butterfly finals as a national record (NR) eclipsing the 28.97 she managed at the World Junior Championships in Peru in September 2022.

She qualified for the final, where she finished joint 4th, after managing 29.85 from the preliminaries.

Kisawuzi, 16, did six individual events and finished 8th in both the 50m freestyle (27.58) and 100m fly (1:09.33) finals having qualified for both with 24.47 and 1:09.40 respectively.

Peyton Suubi, 14, finished a commendable 7th in the women’s 800m free with a 10:01.75 NR.

She also qualified for the 400m free final with a time of 4:54.19 in the prelims and finished eighth with another 4:49.64 NR.

The two then combined with Charlotte Sanford and Rahma Nakasule to set a women’s 4x100m free relay NR at 4:18.02 in the prelims beating the 4:48.32 that a 14&U girls’ team did in Zambia at the Africa Aquatics Zone IV Championships in 2022.

In the finals in Cairo, the quartet finished 8th clocking 4:21.17.They also set a 5:05.69 in the prelims of the women’s 4x100m medley relay then lowered it to 4:54.97 NR as they finished 6th in the finals.

Boys pull their weight

The boys Heer Usadadiya, Peterson Inhensiko, Pendo Kaumi, and Ian Asiku, also held their own to get into 4x100m the medley relay finals with a 4:19.44 in the prelims.

They finished seventh by lowering the time, which should be a NR too, to 4:15.68 in the finals.

They also clocked 3:56.38 in the 4x100m free relay as the 3:40.82 NR also set in Zambia remained elusive.

Usadadiya led with 8th place finishes in the men’s 800m free (9:02.86) and 200m back (2:18.29 prelims, 2:16.51 finals), and a 4:19.76 NR in the 400m free.

Aziku also finished seventh in the 50m breast (31.31) finals after a 31.17 in the prelims.

The team coached by coach Latif Kajumbi also finished 8th in the mixed 4x100 medley with a time of 4:34.08 having qualified for it with a 4:38.08 in the prelims.

Kaumi, Aziku, Nakasule, and Sanford did this relay. Kaumi, Usadadiya, Kisawuzi, and Sanford then combined for a 4:04.50 in the mixed 4x100m freestyle relay.

Africa Aquatics Juniors

Uganda’s performance

Women

Suubi: 800m free (10:01.75 – top 7), 400m free (4:54.19 prelims, 4:49.64 finals – 8th), 50m free (30.54), 100m breast (1:23.68)

Kisawuzi: 50m back (33.49), 50m breast (37.76), 100m free (1:02.15), 50m free (27.47 prelims, 27.58 finals – 8th), 50m fly (29.85 prelims, 28.81 finals – 4th), 100m fly (1:09.40 prelims, 1:09.33 finals – 8th)

Nakasule: 100m back (1:15.55), 50m back (34.39)

Sanford: 50m breast (37.23), 100m breast (1:21.48), 50m fly (31.07), 100m fly (1:10.25)

Men

Usadadiya: 800m free (9:02.86 – top 8), 400m free (4:19.76), 200m free (2:03.36), 100m back (1:05.21), 200m back (2:18.29 prelims, 2:16.51 finals – 8th)

Inhensiko: 50m fly (27.74), 50m back (29.59), 100m free (58.15), 50m free (26.45), 50m breast (33.89)

Aziku: 200m breast (2:48.68), 100m breast (1:10.34), 50m breast (31.17 prelims, 31.31 finals – 7th)

Kaumi: 100m back (1:04.90), 50m back (29.90), 100m fly (1:02.18), 50m fly (26.61), 100m free (56.59), 50m free (25.65)

Relays

Men 4x100m free: 3:56.38

Women 4x100m free: 4:18.02 (prelims), 4:21.17 (finals – 8th)

Mixed 4x100 medley: 4:38.08(prelims), 4:34.13 (finals – 8th) – Kaumi, Aziku, Nakasule, Sanford

Mixed 4x100m free: 4:04.50 – Kaumi, Usadadiya, Kisawuzi, Sanford

Women 4x100m medley: 5:05.69 (prelims), 4:54.97 (finals – 6th)

Men 4x100m medley: 4:19.44 (prelims), 4:15.68 (finals – 7th)