Usadadiya carries hot form to Africa Juniors

Heer Usadadiya will compete at this week’s 16th edition of the Africa Aquatics Junior Championship in Cairo, Egypt as probably the most in form member of the eight-man Ugandan squad.

Just before Cairo, Usadadiya celebrated his 16th birthday with a new national record in the 200m backstroke to 2:12.80 at the April 9 -18 Australian Age and MC Age Championship also in Brisbane.

Usadadiya, born on April 4, 2009, had managed a 2:14.46 a month earlier at the March 14-16 2025 Speedo National Preparation Meet also in Brisbane beating the 2:17.84 NR that Ambala Atuhaire made at the African Games last year in Ghana.

In the March meet, he had also lowered the 9:31.68 800m freestyle record which he set at his debut Africa Juniors in Mauritius in 2023 to 9:02.82, and also sunk records in the 400m (4:27.14) and 200m backstroke (2:14.46) then got personal bests (PBs) in the 200m freestyle (2:01.70) and 100m backstroke (1:03.81) to complete his last gala as a 15 year old.

Dominance

That is just his 2025 story but no swimmer has been on an upward trajectory since the Covid-19 pandemic like him. His short course performances especially in middle and long distance events can fill these pages.

His colleagues can only touch him in sprint events (50m and 100m) but no one comes close when events demand for endurance.

One of his jaw-dropping performances in the domestic arena came at the National Championships last year when he faced Seals’ John Kafumbe, a celebrated distance swimmer, in the 800m free.

There was anxiety in the arena because Kafumbe, returning from an eight-month injury, had made an 8:58.51 NR when they first met earlier in the year in the National League in March 2024. Usadadiya, who was also swimming for the first time as an Aqua Akii swimmer after leaving Gators, had a PB on the day but you could see he wanted to challenge the top order.

And three months later in June, he did so by dominating the race from the get go and clocking 8:58.45 to not only beat Kafumbe but also establish a new NR. The ensuing standing ovation on the day was more than deserved.

Last December he also became only the fifth Ugandan and only the second male swimmer from the country to win a gold medal at the Africa Aquatics Zone IV Championships in Windhoek, Namibia as he lowered he lowered the meet’s 15-16 boys’ age group record in the 200m backstroke to 2:14.13 from the 2:15.28 that Namibian Ronan Wantenaar set in 2017.

He also bagged medals at the Iona Long Course Preparation Meet on February 4, 2024 in Australia during his first competition in the country. He had also made it to two finals in his aforementioned Africa Juniors debut and finished sixth in the 14-15 year’s age group’s open water competition with a time of 1:01:41.00 (one hour, one minute and 41 seconds).

Preparation

“For these Juniors, I would like to make the final in more events. A goal of mine is to PB in multiple events but also finish in the top five for as many events as possible,” Usadadiya shared from his camp in Australia, where he has also learnt that other factors other than training in the pool can affect performance.

“In the last edition, I clearly remember feeling extremely tired and run down towards the end of the competition. Now, knowing better, I am able to prepare myself for the fatigue both mentally and physically. I have a better diet, better training and racing habits as well as mentality and strategy towards racing.

“Being properly prepared is the only way to perform well. The records I broke before the championship are a sign that I am well prepared and conditioned for the championships. I believe they can be broken once again,” he added.

Usadadiya at a glance

Name: Heer Usadadiya

Age: 16

Club: Aqua Akii

Major events: Africa Juniors 2023 and 2025, Zone IV, Zone III, Australian Age and MC Age Championship, Speedo National Preparation Meet, Iona Long Course Preparation Meet

Africa Juniors events: 800m free, 400m free, 200m free, 100m back, 200m fly, 200m back, relays