Mukalazi lowers 50m breast NR, Meya eager

Tendo Mukalazi’s coach Muzafaru Muwanguzi says the swimmer should be happy with his performance in the men’s 50m breaststroke at the World Swimming Championship in Budapest, Hungary, yesterday.
Mukalazi, 20, clocked 30.03 to set a new national record but must have been kicking himself for not going under 30 seconds.

“Twenty-nine was the aim but he should still be happy as he made a good chop off his best time,” Muwanguzi said.

Mukalazi, who was doing this event at this stage for the second time after the 32.64 at the Gwangju 2019 in South Korea, had come with an entry time of 30.56 done at the Cana Zone IV Championships in Lusaka, Zambia, in April.

He finished second in the second of seven heats after Cuba’s Julio Suarez, who had clocked 28.96sec, was disqualified for returning to a butterfly kick as he lunged to finish.

There is strictness in adjudicating breaststroke events and video reviews followed every heat yesterday so Mukalazi did well to finish successfully.

Meya good to go

Avice Meya is pumped up to see her results in today’s women’s 50m backstroke. 
She has entered the event with a seed time of 33.20sec done in Taiwan.

“I am hoping to go below that. It is going to be a good time, I know,” the 26- year-old said.

Meya is relatively new to swimming backstroke at this stage as she has previously concentrated on butterfly and freestyle, which is currently a preserve of Kirabo Namutebi.

While Mukalazi’s 50m breast is a popular event done previously by Ugandan swimmers like Ganzi Mugula, brothers Elisha and Joshua Ekirikubinza, Sharif Kakooza and Rahim Karmali, only Olivia Infield and Natasha Ratter have attempted the women’s backstroke for Uganda at the Worlds.

Ratter clocked 37.89sec at Montreal 2005 and 37.42sec at Melbourne 2007 while Infield managed 36.61sec at Rome 2009.

Swimming 

Monday results- Tendo Mukalazi
50m breaststroke: 30.03

June 21-10am
Avice Meya - 50m backstroke

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