Three Generations, One Pool: A Family Affair at Africa Aquatics Zone III

Some families bond over Sunday lunches, others over family holidays. For Sarah Nalumansi, her daughter Abisagi Namugenze Mugenyi and grandson Shane Mugenyi, the family meeting point is a swimming pool.

And this October, the three are taking their family bond to the regional stage, representing Uganda together at the Africa Aquatics Zone III Championships in Kampala from October 21 to 25.

At 74, Nalumansi is preparing for her first appearance at the championships. Her daughter is making her third, while 13-year-old Shane is stepping into his first Zone III competition and a new age group. Different generations, different experiences, but one shared ambition: to swim their best and enjoy every moment of the journey.

“I’m very, very excited to be swimming. And it’s a good thing to be representing Uganda,” Nalumansi said.

Remarkably, despite this being her first Zone III championship, the 74-year-old is approaching the occasion with the calmness of someone heading to another ordinary gala.

“I’m not feeling any different from when I was going to participate or compete in any gala, any swimming competition,” she explained.

Sarah Nalumansi and Abisagi Namugenze Mugenyi

But there is one thing that makes this competition particularly special: the opportunity to share the same stage with her daughter and grandson.

“I’m very happy about it, and I’m so excited to be three generations in the water. I’m hoping that we will do well and then stand on the podium, the three of us with gold medals.”

Three generations, three swimmers and potentially three gold medals. It is an ambitious family dream, and one that Nalumansi is not afraid to say out loud.

Her grandson, however, comes with a little extra uncertainty. Having just turned 13 last week, Shane has moved into the 13–14 age group, making Zone III his first competition at this level.

Nalumansi knows he is fast, but she is taking nothing for granted. “I don’t know. I’m hoping that he will do well, but I really don’t know,” she said with a laugh, before wishing him the best.

If Nalumansi is swimming with the excitement of a new adventure, her daughter Namugenze is approaching the championships with a mixture of anticipation, pride and the occasional family-induced swimming anxiety.

A Masters swimmer and swimming parent, Namugenze has competed at the previous two Zone III editions, representing Uganda in Burundi in 2024 and at Kasarani in Kenya in 2025. This year’s championship, however, carries a different meaning.

For the first time, her mother is joining her on the team, while her son is also competing alongside her.

Abisagi Namugenze Mugenyi

It is a family milestone that Namugenze hopes will inspire more people to take up swimming, regardless of age or when they begin.

“I am hopeful. This year, we have a very, very huge Masters contingent. It’s the biggest we’ve had yet, and we’ve been training as a team,” she said.

“I’m also fortunate that my mother is on the team. My son is also on the team, so it’s a family affair.”

For Namugenze, the Masters category is about much more than medals and finishing times. It is an opportunity to demonstrate that trying something new later in life is not only possible but also rewarding.

“I think this Zone III will show people that it is not too late to start something new. You can dive in and give your best, come out at the other end knowing that you’ve gone through it and you’ve come out on the other side.”

She describes swimming as calming and fulfilling, a sport that, once mastered, can open doors to new experiences and opportunities.

Yet, even an experienced Masters swimmer can feel the pressure when the family competition gets underway.

Whenever Namugenze prepares to swim a stroke in which Shane excels, her mind starts working overtime. Hand placement, body movement, kicking technique and breathing suddenly become very important considerations.

“The first thing that comes to my mind is, ‘I hope I don’t embarrass him.’ And then I start critiquing myself as I’m swimming. Am I doing the hand placement right? Am I doing the kick right? Am I breathing right?” she revealed.

It is a funny twist to the usual parent-child dynamic. While many parents spend competitions worrying about whether their children will perform well, Namugenze sometimes finds herself worrying about what her son will think of her own performance.

“I must say that it’s a privilege that I get to do something like this. And I do enjoy it.”

Namugenze had once promised herself that she would retire when she finally got the chance to swim at a Zone III championship with her son. Three editions into her Zone III journey, that moment has arrived. Her retirement plans, however, have changed.

“This is my third. It’s happening, but I’m not going to stop,” she declared.

And why should she? Her mother has just joined the team at 74, offering perhaps the strongest possible argument for keeping those swimming goggles within reach.

At the centre of this remarkable family story is Shane, the 13-year-old who helped bring his mother into competitive swimming and is now preparing to make his own Zone III debut.

He says the idea of swimming with his mother began with a simple thought. There was no elaborate plan or grand family strategy.

“I just wanted her to swim; nothing triggered me. It was just a thought, then I asked her,” he explained.

His mother said yes, and what began as a casual invitation eventually grew into competitive swimming.

Shane was surprised when she first joined him at the pool, but he has since watched her develop into a committed swimmer who works hard and earns results.

Now, rather than being embarrassed by his mother’s presence in the sport, he is proud of her.

“I’m proud of her, because she’s winning, and she works hard to do her best,” he said.

His grandmother’s entry into swimming came through a different kind of inspiration. After seeing another Masters swimmer around her age competing at a gala, Nalumansi was encouraged to give it a try herself.

The result is a family swimming story that continues to grow, with Shane now preparing to race alongside both his mother and grandmother at the same regional championship.

Sarah Nalumansi, Abisagi Namugenze Mugenyi and Shane Mugenyi

And while Shane is happy to share the pool with his family, he is also focused on the job ahead.

Competing in the 13–14 age group, he will take on the 50-metre freestyle and 100-metre butterfly, two events he considers his strongest.

“I’m very excited, since it’s my first time. And I’m pretty sure I can do my best to help Uganda win and take the win,” he said confidently.

Shane will be hoping to make his mark for Uganda while enjoying the unusual privilege of having his mother and grandmother cheering him on from the same team.

His father, meanwhile, has so far chosen to remain outside the pool, despite Shane extending the invitation to him as well.

For now, three generations are enough to make the family a special part of Team Uganda.

Abisagi wants the family to record their best times, enjoy the experience and leave the competition feeling that they have achieved something meaningful, whether through personal bests, representing Uganda or simply growing in the sport.

“We’ve been training for it. We’ve been anticipating it. We’re excited for it, but I want us to have fun, enjoy the experience and come out at the other end feeling that we have achieved something,” she said.

As Kampala prepares to host the Africa Aquatics Zone III Championships, three generations will bring more than three swimmers to the starting blocks; they will bring a story of generations learning from one another, challenging one another and finding joy in the same sport.

There may be friendly pressure, nervous glances at the clock and the occasional family debate over technique, speed and so forth, but when they step onto the pool deck, they will share something more important than a family name or a place on Team Uganda; They will share a lane in history.

And if all goes according to Nalumansi’s dream, the family photograph at the end of the championships will feature three generations standing together on the podium, wearing gold medals and proving that, in swimming, the family that trains together can dream together, compete together and, perhaps, win together.

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