Uganda Secures Fourth Consecutive Zone III Swimming Championship

Uganda asserted absolute dominance in regional pool swimming by capturing the 11th Africa Aquatics Zone III Championships at the Kampala International School of Uganda in Bukoto. The host nation accumulated 3,656 points to successfully defend their title for a third successive time, securing a remarkable fourth consecutive overall championship.

Kenya finished second in the team standings with 2,728 points, followed by Tanzania in third with 2,547 points. Rwanda and Burundi rounded out the regional table. The medal tally highlighted Uganda’s overwhelming superiority, with the six-time champions collecting 83 gold, 58 silver, and 43 bronze medals across various age groups, open events, and relays. Kenya managed 25 golds, while Tanzania claimed 20.

Relay events proved to be an impenetrable fortress for the hosts, who triumphed in 15 of the 16 contested races. The only blemish was a narrow defeat in the boys’ 15 and over 4x100m freestyle relay, where Kenya edged out the hosts by just three hundredths of a second.

Individual performances anchored the Ugandan triumph. Fifteen-year-old Zara Marie Mbanga emerged as the standout swimmer, sweeping all five events in the 15-16 girls’ category alongside open-event victories to claim the age-group title. Other notable age-group winners for Uganda included Ibrahim Lule in the 12 and under boys, and Gabriella Opolot in the 13-14 girls, who praised her coaching team and rigorous stroke preparation for personal best performances.

In the separate masters competition, Uganda Masters mirrored the junior success by dominating the standings with 2,608 points, spearheaded by 52 gold medals. Zone III President Donald Rukare lauded the scintillating quality of the competition and expressed optimism about the future growth of water polo in the region.

Read more about the championship details on the Daily Monitor.