Kalungi switch improves Colts fortunes

Ethan Kalungi in top form is any coach's dream.

The 14 year old is feisty and competitive and in just one match showed why Uganda Swimming League (USL) side Colts paid over Shs1m to secure his move from Talons.

In the pool, Talons looked like they suffered a cold from losing him and feared the lethal combination of him and Tara Kisawuzi in the relays.

In reality, his move solved another lower rank problem for Colts as it meant that Shafiga Ntabazi - who has been one of Colts slowest swimmers in Razor 1 (top category) - moved to Razor 2 where she is one of the fastest swimmers. 

Talons were left reeling as Gabriella Ndyanabo, 10, had to make a truncated jump from Razor 2 to 1 to compensate for the loss of Kalungi and Shafia Ntabazi, who is now in the UK.

This promotion from the League's management killed Talons' thought of combining Ndyanabo with new signing Nicole Kobusingye in order to dominate Razor 2 and make up for their Razor 1 troubles.

Astros, on the other hand, missed the absent Ethan Kunihira in Razor 1. But their new signing Amy Ssempebwa, who was also promoted to the top category after switching from Colts' Razor 2 helped wrestle some points from Talons as she added to efforts of Paula Nabukeera and Chriton Kato among others.

In the end, Colts who are now 778 off the overall top, looked stronger on the day as they won all relays in all styles in the top Razor and only surrendered the breaststroke relay in Razor 2 to Astros.

After one transfer window, it now feels like overall leaders Talons - who managed just 740 points from Match 27 behind Colts on 1,020 and Astros on 900 - are more vulnerable than they were in the first 10 matches of this second edition of the USL.

"The evidence of how much we need to strengthen our Razor 1 was very clear tonight but unfortunately, we cannot do it until the transfer window is reopened," Talons manager Musa Galabuzi, said as he saw his side's overall lead cut to 502 points by Astros.

MATCH 27 POINTS 

Category    Colts  Astros  Talons 

Open           160    200       180

Razor 1       320    180       220

Razor 2       300    240       180

Razor 3       140    120       100

Razor 4       100    160       060

Total         1,020    900       740

Overall points

Talons - 12,993

Astros - 12,491

Colts - 12,215