Uganda rules waves again as Zone III crowns its Champions in Kampala

The 11th Africa Aquatics Zone III Swimming Championships concluded in Kampala with the hosts securing a fourth consecutive team title, but the story went far beyond Uganda’s dominance.

Kenya brought depth and determination, Tanzania delivered a powerful challenge, Rwanda remained competitive across the meet, while Burundi, Somalia and Djibouti added their voices to a championship that showcased the growing reach of swimming across the region.

From the youngest competitors making their mark to established swimmers adding to their medal collections, Kampala became a stage for national pride, individual excellence and the relentless pursuit of faster times.

When the final points were counted, Uganda had accumulated 3,940 points to finish comfortably ahead of Kenya, which collected 2,976, and Tanzania, which completed the overall podium with 2,737. Rwanda finished fourth with 1,478 points, followed by Burundi on 961, Somalia on 200 and Djibouti on 99.

Winning a championship is an achievement. Winning it repeatedly, against increasingly familiar opposition, is a statement of consistency. Uganda delivered precisely that in Kampala, retaining the Africa Aquatics Zone III swimming title for the fourth consecutive year.

The hosts finished first in both the women’s and men’s team competitions, demonstrating that their success was not dependent on one gender, one age group or a handful of outstanding swimmers.

In the women’s standings, Uganda collected 1,960 points, comfortably ahead of Kenya’s 1,484 and Tanzania’s 1,072. Rwanda placed fourth with 650 points, while Burundi, Somalia and Djibouti completed the standings.

The men’s competition followed a similar pattern at the top, although the battle behind Uganda took a different shape. Uganda led with 1,836 points, Tanzania finished second with 1,541, and Kenya placed third with 1,376. Rwanda was fourth on 732, narrowly ahead of Burundi, which collected 699 points. The hosts finished 964 points ahead of Kenya and 1,203 ahead of Tanzania.

A significant part of Uganda’s strength was its depth. The country fielded Team A and Team B, with swimmers competing across the events and age categories. Rather than relying on a small group to carry the entire campaign, Uganda had multiple competitors contributing to the team’s overall effort.

Uganda’s individual medal leaders also demonstrated that its success was spread across generations. Twelve-year-olds Ibrahim Lule and Mushira Nabatanzi produced impressive medal hauls, while teenagers Zara Mbanga and Tyrah Muganzi dominated their age group. At the other end of the age spectrum, Gloria Muzito and Matthew Mwase showed that experience could be just as valuable as youthful energy.

Uganda’s strength was not simply about having talented swimmers. It was about having talent in several age groups, across both competitions, and enough depth to turn individual performances into a national triumph.

If Uganda owned the summit, Kenya ensured that the hosts could not take their success for granted. Kenya finished second overall with 2,976 points, emerging as Uganda’s nearest challenger in the combined standings. Its women collected 1,484 points, while the men’s team contributed 1,376.

The Kenyan contingent was among those with a significant presence at the championship, with swimmers appearing across numerous events. That participation provided opportunities to collect points and compete against Uganda’s considerable depth.

Kenya’s performances were particularly encouraging in the women’s 12-and-under category, where Katja Kimani led the age-group rankings with five gold and two silver medals. Aisha Hassan also featured prominently, collecting one gold, two silver and two bronze medals.

In the men’s 13–14 category, Don G. Ndirangu delivered one of Kenya’s standout performances. The 13-year-old collected five gold medals and two bronze medals, while Harith Muses added three gold and two bronze medals.

Kenya also had a medal-winning presence in the men’s 15–16 category, where Baraka J. Nyakundi collected four gold medals.

The country had swimmers capable of winning multiple events, particularly among the younger competitors, and sufficient participation to remain competitive across the programme.

Second place was a substantial achievement, but it also left Kenya with a clear target for the next edition: close the gap on Uganda.

Tanzania finished third overall with 2,737 points, but its position on the combined podium does not fully capture the strength of its challenge.

The Tanzanian team was second in the men’s standings with 1,541 points, ahead of Kenya’s 1,376. In the women’s competition, Tanzania collected 1,072 points to finish third behind Uganda and Kenya.

That contrast is important. Tanzania’s men were particularly productive, helping the country establish itself as a serious contender in the championship.

Its individual medal performances reinforced the message. Nicolene J. Viljoen, 14, was the leading female swimmer in the 13–14 category, collecting five gold and five silver medals. Her ten-medal haul made her one of the most successful female competitors in the competition.

Filbertha Demello, 17, also delivered an impressive performance in the 17-and-over women’s category. She collected four gold, one silver and five bronze medals, finishing with ten medals in total. On the men’s side, 14-year-old Max Missokia won four gold, two silver and two bronze medals in the 13–14 category. Oscar Liebchen, 12, added two gold and three silver medals in the 12-and-under category. Mark Tibazarwa, 17, the team captain, contributed two gold, one silver and two bronze medals among the older male swimmers.

Rwanda finished fourth overall with 1,478 points, collecting 650 in the women’s competition and 732 in the men’s. Rwanda’s overall total placed it behind the three leading nations but ahead of Burundi, Somalia and Djibouti.

The difference between Rwanda and the leading trio reflected the challenge of matching the combined output of Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. The top three teams accumulated substantially more points, with Uganda in particular establishing a considerable lead.

Burundi, Somalia and Djibouti completed the seven-nation field, demonstrating the breadth of participation at the 11th edition.

Their contingents were smaller than those of countries such as Uganda and Kenya, while Tanzania and Rwanda also featured significantly across the programme. Yet the final standings show that each of the smaller delegations contributed to the championship.

Burundi finished fifth overall with 961 points. Its men’s team collected 699 points, placing fifth in that competition but finishing only 33 points behind Rwanda’s 732. The women’s team added 262 points.

Somalia finished sixth overall with 200 points, while Djibouti placed seventh with 99. Somalia collected 131 points in the women’s competition and 69 in the men’s. Djibouti’s contribution was 20 points in the women’s standings and 79 in the men’s.

These countries did not match Uganda, Kenya or Tanzania in total points, but their participation formed part of the championship’s wider significance: providing swimmers from different national programmes with opportunities to compete, test themselves and gain experience against regional opposition.

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