Golden Waves, Home Glory: Uganda’s swimmers outshine rivals at Zone III Championships

Uganda turned home advantage into a memorable swimming triumph at the 11th edition of the Africa Aquatics Zone III Swimming Championships in Kampala, with its swimmers producing a string of impressive performances across the age categories to secure the overall title.

Held from October 21 to 25, 2026, the championships brought together swimmers from across the region, providing a competitive stage for established performers and emerging talents to test themselves against some of East Africa’s best.

Uganda’s success was built on more than a handful of standout performances. The hosts found winners across different age groups, strokes and distances, with the girls’ and boys’ teams both contributing significantly to the country’s campaign. The relay races further demonstrated Uganda’s strength, while individual medal hauls highlighted swimmers who consistently delivered when it mattered.

At the heart of the victory were 15-year-old Marie Zara Mbanga, 12-year-old Ibrahim Lule and 14-year-old Gabriella Opolot Asima, whose performances captured the depth of Uganda’s talent.

But the home team did not have everything its own way. Kenya and Tanzania supplied formidable opposition, with their leading swimmers collecting multiple medals and winning several fiercely contested races. Their performances ensured that Uganda’s championship-winning campaign was built on genuine competition rather than a comfortable procession.

If Uganda’s campaign needed a defining individual performance, Mbanga Zara Marie supplied it in the girls’ 15–16 category.

The 15-year-old finished the championships as the leading female swimmer in her age group, collecting seven gold medals without a silver or bronze.

Mbanga’s versatility was a major feature of her campaign. In the 400-metre individual medley, she won in 5:27.09, ahead of compatriot Paloma Kirabo, who clocked 5:48.49. The result demonstrated her ability to excel in an event that demands proficiency across all four competitive strokes.

She also won the 50m breaststroke in 36.24 seconds and the 100m breaststroke in 1:18.07. In the 200m breaststroke, she completed another victory in 2:50.32, finishing ahead of Kenya’s Kamwelle Maina and fellow Ugandan Theresa Kikambi.

Her seven-gold haul placed her among the standout performers of the entire championships and made her a central figure in Uganda’s successful title defence at home.

Uganda’s strength in the girls’ 13–14 category was equally impressive, with Gabriella Opolot Asima and Gabriella Eleanor Ndyanabo emerging as two of the country’s leading performers.

Both swimmers finished the championships with four gold medals and two silver medals. Opolot demonstrated her range in the 50m breaststroke, winning in 35.51 seconds, while Ndyanabo finished second in 36.18 seconds to complete a Ugandan one-two.

The pair also featured prominently in the backstroke and butterfly events. Opolot won the 50m backstroke in 32.01 seconds, while Ndyanabo claimed the 400m freestyle in 4:49.19, finishing ahead of Tanzania’s Nicolene Viljoen, who clocked 4:55.82.

Their combined performances gave Uganda an important advantage in the girls’ competitions, with the two swimmers consistently collecting medals and contributing to the team’s overall strength.

The girls’ 12-and-under category produced one of the most interesting individual contests of the championships, with Uganda’s Mushira Nabatanzi going head-to-head with Kenya’s Katja Kimani.

Kimani topped the female 12-and-under with five gold and two silver medals, while Nabatanzi finished second with four gold and three silver medals. Nabatanzi made her mark across several events, winning the 50m breaststroke in 36.73 seconds, the 50m butterfly in 31.36 seconds and the 50m backstroke in 34.85 seconds. She also won the 100m breaststroke in 1:22.59, confirming her strength in the discipline.

Kimani, however, provided a formidable challenge. The Kenyan won the 100m butterfly in 1:11.92 and finished ahead of Nabatanzi in the 400m individual medley, where she clocked 5:45.53. Their contest captured the competitive spirit of the championships.

On the boys’ side, Ibrahim Lule was one of the most outstanding performers of the entire competition. The 12-year-old topped the boys’ 12-and-under with six gold and two silver medals, making him the leading male swimmer in that age category. Teammate Malachi Ssali finished second with three gold, two silver and one bronze medal.

Lule’s performances showed impressive versatility. He won the 50m butterfly in 29.80 seconds, the 100m freestyle in 1:04.62 and the 100m breaststroke in 1:15.34. He also claimed the 50m breaststroke in 34.60 seconds, with Ssali completing a Ugandan one-two in 35.52 seconds. The pair continued their dominance in the shorter freestyle event. Ssali won the 50m freestyle in 29.08 seconds, narrowly ahead of Lule, who finished in 29.10 seconds. Ssali’s contribution was particularly valuable because his medal tally and victories across different strokes complemented Lule’s outstanding campaign. Together, they provided Uganda with a formidable foundation in the youngest boys’ category.

Although Uganda won the championships, Kenya had several individual performers who refused to be overshadowed. Thirteen-year-old Don Ndirangu was among the most impressive. He topped the boys’ 13–14 with five gold medals and two bronze medals, establishing himself as a major force in his age group.

His speed was particularly evident in the 50m butterfly, where he clocked 25.95 seconds to win ahead of Rwanda’s Jayden Ntwali, who finished in 28.06 seconds. Ndirangu also won the 50m breaststroke in 32.35 seconds, while his 50m backstroke victory in 29.15 seconds further demonstrated his sprinting ability.

Kenya’s strength extended beyond Ndirangu. Harith Muses won the boys’ 14-and-under 400m individual medley in 5:08.42, while Max Missokia of Tanzania finished second in the 200m backstroke and won the 800m freestyle in 9:28.16.

Tanzania’s Nicolene Viljoen was another major figure in the competition, finishing as the leading female swimmer in the 13–14 category. The 14-year-old collected five gold and five silver medals, giving her one of the largest overall medal hauls among the female swimmers.

Viljoen’s campaign included a victory in the 400m individual medley, where she clocked 5:15.52, and a win in the 200m backstroke in 2:32.26. She also showed her strength in the longer freestyle races, finishing second in the 800m freestyle in 10:12.76 and the 400m freestyle in 4:55.82.

Her performances made her one of the most consistent swimmers of the championships. Even when she did not finish first, she remained among the leading contenders, collecting silver medals and contributing significantly to Tanzania’s challenge.

Tanzania also had strong male representation through Max Missokia and Mark Tibazarwa. Missokia won the boys’ 14-and-under 800m freestyle, while Tibazarwa claimed the boys’ 15-and-over 800m freestyle in 9:14.94. Their performances underlined Tanzania’s strength in middle- and long-distance swimming, complementing Viljoen’s success in the girls’ events.

Uganda’s older female swimmers provided another important pillar of the championship victory. In the 15–16 category, Tyrah Muganzi finished the competition with five gold and two silver medals, while Paloma Kirabo collected two gold, four silver and one bronze. Their performances complemented Mbanga’s seven-gold haul and gave Uganda three leading swimmers in the same age group.

Muganzi won the 200m backstroke in 2:42.54 and contributed to Uganda’s strong performances in the butterfly and freestyle events. Kirabo, meanwhile, won the 200m backstroke in the 15–16 category in 2:32.86 and finished second to Mbanga in the 400m individual medley.

In the girls’ 17-and-over category, Tanzania’s Filbertha Demello led with four gold, one silver and five bronze medals. Uganda’s Gloria Muzito finished second with four gold medals, while Tara Kisawuzi collected two gold and five silver medals.

Muzito’s four-gold performance was a valuable contribution to the hosts’ campaign, while Kisawuzi’s collection of silver medals demonstrated her consistency against older swimmers from across the region.

Uganda’s success in the boys’ 15–16 category was led by Hakim Abdou and Jonathan Kaweesa. Abdou topped with three gold medals and one bronze, while Kaweesa finished second with two gold, five silver and two bronze medals. Kenya’s Baraka Nyakundi was also among the leading performers, winning four gold medals.

Abdou won the 200m backstroke in 2:14.89 and the 50m backstroke in 28.02 seconds. Kaweesa, meanwhile, claimed the 100m butterfly in 1:01.33 and finished second in the 50m backstroke in 28.81 seconds.

Uganda also enjoyed strong performances in the older boys’ category, with Matthew Mwase collecting three gold, one silver and one bronze medal. Ryland Andrew Mathew added three gold medals, while Tanzania’s Mark Tibazarwa finished among the leading performers with two gold, one silver and two bronze medals.

The depth of Uganda’s senior boys was evident in the relays, too. The Ugandan team won the 200m medley relay for boys aged 15 and over in 1:48.31, ahead of Kenya in 1:50.56 and Tanzania in 1:54.30. That result reinforced the importance of teamwork alongside individual brilliance.

While individual medal tallies attracted attention, the relay races provided some of the clearest evidence of Uganda’s collective strength.

Uganda won the girls’ 14-and-under 200m medley relay in 2:10.38, finishing ahead of Kenya and Tanzania. The team comprised Gabriella Opolot, Gabriella Eleanor Ndyanabo, Mackayla Ssali and Mushira Nabatanzi.

The boys’ 14-and-under relay team also finished first in 1:57.23, ahead of Tanzania and Kenya. Adam Katumba, Elijah Ayesiga, Shane Mugenyi and William Sanford combined to secure another victory for the hosts.

Uganda continued its relay dominance in the older categories, winning the girls’ 15-and-over medley relay in 2:05.15 and the boys’ 15-and-over event in 1:48.31.

Uganda’s success in these events helped turn individual excellence into a collective championship victory.

Uganda’s title was the headline, but the championships also showcased the growing competitiveness of swimming across the region.

Kenya’s Katja Kimani and Don Ndirangu led their respective age groups, while Tanzania’s Nicolene Viljoen and Filbertha Demello delivered outstanding individual campaigns.

Rwanda also produced competitive performances. Christian Byiringiro won the boys’ 15-and-over 400m individual medley in 5:10.29, while Jayden Ntwali and Murenzi Sheja Kean featured prominently in the younger boys’ events.

Somalia’s Aya Ofleh Adams also made her presence felt, finishing second in the girls’ 12-and-under 50m backstroke in 35.17 seconds, just behind Nabatanzi.

The 11th Africa Aquatics Zone III Swimming Championships ended with Uganda as the champion, but the wider victory for the region was a championship filled with emerging talent, individual excellence and competitive races that gave East African swimming plenty to celebrate.

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