Swimming: Najjuma, Mbanga, Kaumi own Day III

Adams Aya avenged her 100m backstroke disqualification on Thursday by winning the 10 and Under girls’ gold in Friday’s 100m freestyle at the Uganda Aquatics National Swimming Championships running at Kampala Parents School, Naguru.

The nine year old Aqua Akii swimmer clocked 1:15.87 to finish ahead of Ozpreys’ Gianna Opolot (1:16.65) while Altona’s Paulette Wakabi (1:17.15) edged Otters’ Valerie Nassozi (1:17.18) in the battle for bronze.

While Aya was dominant on the rainy morning, Jaguar’s Austin Wanyama paced with the grid for 75m then kicked with power to win the junior boys’ 100m in 1:13.76 just ahead of Silverfin Academy’s Raan Batuk (1:14.04) as Dolphins’ Maynard Mukiisa finished third in 1:14.97.

In the 11-12 age group, Dolphins’ Jinan Nakato powered to gold in the outer lane in 1:06.27 to take the girls’ gold ahead of Gliders’ Francesca Nazziwa and Jaguar’s Shivon Nagginda while Gators’ Marc Kaliisa proved why he was favourite as he won the boys’ race in 1:03.46 ahead of Silverfin’s Kristian Bwisho and Torpedoes’ Elijah Ayesiga.

In the 13-14 age group, Peyton Suubi clocked 1:03.37 to edge Dolphins Mackayla Ssali (1:04.16) and Jaguar teammate Zara Mbanga (1:04.56) for the girls’ gold. For the boys, Torpedoes’ Jonathan Kaweesa was in a league of his own as his 56.91 propelled him to first with his main competitor Abdou Hakim Seck (1:01.55), from Gators, finishing a distant second and just nine microseconds ahead of Black Panthers’ Benjamin Ssali.

In 15-16, Gators’ Tara Kisawuzi was also clearly chasing the clock and not concerned about the competition in the pool. Kisawuzi clocked 1:00.53 to leave Aquatic Academy’s Rahmah Nakasule (1:04.00) a distant second while her Gators teammate Paloma Kirabo (1:04.40) got bronze.

For the boys, Gators’ Ethani Ssengooba had left hints in the 200m free on Thursday that he would go all out in the 100m free and he did not disappoint as his performance produced a 55.11 age group record to finish ahead of Silverfin’s Isaiah Kuc (55.49) and Aqua Akii’s Heer Usadadiya (55.80).

In the 17 and Over age group, Aquatic Academy’s Karimah Katemba showed she is still a force to be reckoned with as she topped the senior girls. Kaumi brothers Tendo (52.68) and Pendo (54.11) touched one and two for Dolphins ahead of Sailfish’s Mathew Mwase (55.69).

100m breaststroke

But Sailfish had an immediate response as 10 year old Denorah Natabi clocked 1:32.75 to win gold in the 10 and Unders' 100m breaststroke. Batuk also immediately avenged his earlier loss by clocking an age group record 1:29.70 to win gold ahead of Aqua Akii’s Tzion Tamale (1:37.14) and Wanyama.

In the 11-12 girls, Nisha Pearl Najjuma’s gold collection continued with a 1:25.92 while Bwisho (1:22.24) also marginally returned to the top ahead of Ayesiga (1:22.73).

Mbanga was also a firm favourite for the 13-14 girls’ gold and she made it look easy, clocking 1:17.84. Seck also comfortably took the boys’ gold in 1:17.45.

But Inell Raya Ba showed her 50m breast win on Wednesday was not a one-off but the beginning of something new as she beat Kisawuzi to gold again in the 15-16 girls’ 100m breast. Silverfin’s Ba clocked 1:20.88 – over a second less than Kisawuzi while Nakasule settled for third.

When Peterson Inhensiko went for the Africa Aquatics Junior Championships, he intimated that he was balanced across all strokes. He (1:10.21) continued to prove that by edging Daniel Rukundo (1:10.36) and the entire 15-16 boys’ grid in yet another breaststroke event at these Nationals.

Charlotte Sanford (1:20.33) got another gold for Sailfish ahead of Gators’ Swagiah Mubiru (1:20.82) in the 17 and Over girls’ age group. Their male counterparts dedicated their final heat to their fallen friend Daniel ‘Mango’ Kayemba’ and hoped to break the 1:05.50 national record in his memory. But the man holding the record Ian Aziku could only manage 1:07.83 to bag more gold for Dolphins on the day.

200m backstroke

Najjuma got more gold in the 11-12 girls’ 200m backstroke (2:50.17) as did Kaliisa (2:46.24) in the boys’ category.

Mbanga (2:33.61) was again dominant, as she is wont to do whenever she wins, among the 13-14 girls while Seck (2:22.44) also ensured Day Three of his ‘battle for 13-14 boys’ gold’ with Kaweesa ended in a 2-1 win.

Usadadiya’s dominance in distance events is well documented and Friday was no different as he won the 15-16 boys’ gold in 2:14.53. Paloma dominated the girls in 2:35.82 with Nakasule (2:45.07) in second and Altona’s Blessing Kaitesi (2:53.21) edging teammate Sonia Mwere by 35 microseconds.

Mubiru got her first 17 and Over girls’ gold on the day after clocking 2:45.27. The Kaumi brothers Tendo (2:09.51) and Pendo (2:20.47) again finished first and second respectively with Sailfish’s Joshua Kaganda (2:21.05) was third in the senior boys’ category.

Relay

In the mixed freestyle relay, Dolphins (2:19.92) edged Silverfin by six microseconds to win the 10 and Unders’ gold as Aqua Akii (2:21.22) finished third.

Silverfin avenged in the 11-12 finishing in 2:01.26 ahead of Dolphins and Gators. Gators then fell by 21 microseconds to Altona (1:56.03) in the 13-14s relay with Dolphins finishing third.

But Gators (1:47.31) super team of Ssengooba, Inhensiko, Kisawuzi, and Paloma blew away Silverfin and Dolphins in the 15-16 age group to win gold.

Their time even edged the 1:47.84 that Aqua Akii – with Tendo Mukalazi, Kirabo Namutebi, Carlton Musenze, and Deshpande Khyati – managed to win the 17 and Over gold albeit from heat one of two.

Silverfin (1:50.63) had Larry Graig Feni to thank for dragging them to second as he chased and passed Sailfish’s anchor Sanford. Dolphins took an early lead in this relay, as Tendo Kaumi clocked a sub-23 for his opening 50m, but faded to finish 6th.