Dolphins have best junior swimmers

Dolphins showed they have the best young swimmers when they topped their own April 13-14 Junior Championships held at Lloli Park, Akamwesi Mall in Kyebando.

The hosts, whose prowess in the relays shone through, garnered 1,309.5 overall points and were joined on the podium by Black Panthers (1,078) and Sailfish (931).

Gliders twins Talisha and Lenora Asianut, 7, topped the 7 and under girls with 86 and 80 individual points respectively and were joined in the top three by Starlings’ Abigael Muttamba. The twins had an interesting individual medley (IM), where Lenora (2:07.66) beat Talisha (2:07.81) by just a few microseconds.

For the little boys, Dolphins Jethro Emejeit collected 89 points to beat Silverfin Academy’s Mathew Ssaka by a point while Sailfish’s Tawana Mlingo had 74.

Aquatic Academy’s Mushirah Nabatanzi won all her races in the 8-9 years girls’ age group to attain the maximum 100 points and was joined on their podium by Ozpreys’ Gianna Acuo on 83 and Black Panthers’ Audrey Nyonyintono on 73. Nabatanzi only had a scare in their 25m freestyle as her 15.53 was really run close by Acuo with 15.98.

Black Panthers’ Abraham Munabi topped the boys with 85.5 points – seven ahead of Aqua Akii’s Tzion Tamale and just over 11 ahead of Jaguar’s Austin Wanyama.

With 92.5 points, Ozpreys’ Gabriella Asima was just two points ahead of Otters’ Nisha Pearl Najjuma in the 10-11 girls’ age group with Black Panthers’ Daniella Munguci chasing them with 80 points while for the boys, Torpedoes’ Elijah Ayesiga was dominant with 94 points – 10 ahead of the hosts’ Manuel Ssemanda and 14 ahead of Aqua Akii’s Elijah Mukuru Tayebwa.

Top races

Over 440 swimmers, including 28 from Kenya, took part in the two-day event.

The championship was off to a flyer as early as Saturday morning with a photo-finish in the 10-11 boys’ 50m breaststroke, where Ayesiga (40.75) beat Silverfin’s Jeremiah Ssempijja, 10, (40.85) by just a touch.

Ssaka (24.34) also needed just an arm’s stretch to beat Starfish’s five year old Elijah Ssegawa (24.47) in the 7 and under boys’ 25m backstroke. In the same age group, Emejeit (18.90) was just a stretch ahead of Mlingo (19.22) in the 25m freestyle.

Najjuma (3:00.44) also edged Asima (3:00.75) by just a few microseconds in the 10-11 girls IM but the two girls touched together (35.53) in the 50m butterfly on Saturday.

Another interesting race saw Ayesiga (35.16) edge Tayebwa (35.50) in the 10-11 boys’ 50m fly.

But the race of the championship was the 8-9 boys’ 25m free, where it probably came down to reaction time as just a second separated the first and sixth. Wanyama (16:07), Starlings’ Zachariah Muzoora (16.77), Tamale (16.88), Sailfish Seth Kabogoza (16.94), Munabi (17.00) and Dolphins’ Miiro Mikisa (17.07) finished in that order.

Dolphins Junior Championships

How They Finished

Dolphins – 1,309.5

Black Panthers – 1,078

Sailfish – 931

Hill Preparatory School – 842.5

Otters – 590.5

Jaguar – 480

Ozpreys – 462.5

Aquatic Academy – 431.5

Starlings – 382

Gliders – 358

Silverfin Academy – 352

Team Kenya – 312

Aqua Akii – 268.5

Hertz – 248

Torpedoes – 248

Tumaini Aquatic – 212

Heritage – 104

Aqua Bombers – 79

Whales – 55

Starfish – 53

Vision for Africa – 37

Flash – 33

Lions – 11

Vine Grace – 4