The 11th Uganda Aquatics National Swimming Championships got off to a spectacular start on Thursday at Kampala International School Uganda (KISU), with Uganda’s finest swimmers delivering impressive performances on a day marked by fierce competition, emerging young talent and an electric atmosphere.

Despite taking place on a weekday, the KISU spectator lounge was packed throughout the day as parents, coaches and well-wishers turned up in large numbers to cheer on the country’s next generation of swimming stars. Their constant applause and encouragement created a championship atmosphere befitting Uganda’s premier swimming competition.

Adding to the excitement was the successful debut of Uganda Aquatics’ newly acquired electronic touch pads, which ensured fast, accurate and internationally compliant timing throughout the opening day’s races.

The championship also received a major endorsement when Commonwealth Sport Uganda President Donald Rukare visited the venue. Rukare expressed his delight at the high standard of competition and was particularly pleased to see several members of Uganda’s team for the upcoming Commonwealth Games already in action, including Kirabo Namutebi, Tara Kisawuzi, Tendo Kaumi, Tendo Mukalazi, Husnah Kukundakwe and Condoleeza Nakazibwe, who are using the championships as their final competitive preparation ahead of the Games later this month.

The day’s opening session belonged to the endurance swimmers as the championships began with the demanding 800-metre freestyle events.

Jaguar Swim Club’s Zara Marie Mbanga announced herself as one of the swimmers to watch after winning the Girls 11-14 title in 10:05.21, while Gators Swim Club’s Aiden Akubu Immelman dominated the Boys 11-14 race in an outstanding 9:34.44.

Among the senior swimmers, Dolphins’ Theresa Kikambi claimed victory in the Girls 15 & Over event, while Sailfish’s Arthur Mwase produced one of the fastest performances of the day to comfortably win the Men’s 800m freestyle in 9:19.60 ahead of Commonwealth Games swimmer Pendo Kaumi, who settled for second.

The breaststroke programme produced some of the day’s most competitive races across all age groups. Uganda international Kirabo Namutebi lived up to expectations by comfortably winning the Women’s 17 & Over 50m breaststroke in 32.47 seconds, while Commonwealth Games teammate Tendo Mukalazi was equally dominant in the Men’s 17 & Over race, touching first in 28.45 seconds.

In the Girls 15-16 category, Crissa Dillip edged a quality field to take gold ahead of Theresa Kikambi, while Isaiah Kuc produced a commanding swim to win the Boys 15-16 title.

Among the younger swimmers, Mushirah Nabatanzi continued her excellent form by winning the Girls 11-12 breaststroke, Kristian Mugumya Bwisho dominated the Boys 11-12 event, while Zara Marie Mbanga completed a memorable double by adding the Girls 13-14 breaststroke title to her earlier 800m freestyle victory.

Another standout performance came from Abdou Hakim Seck, who powered to victory in the Boys 13-14 50m breaststroke in one of the fastest junior times of the day.

The backstroke events showcased the depth of Uganda’s emerging talent. Blue Whales’ Aya Adams claimed the Girls 10 & Under 100m backstroke title, while Altona’s Elisha Rukundo emerged victorious in the Boys equivalent.

Mushirah Nabatanzi continued her remarkable day by adding the Girls 11-12 100m backstroke crown to her breaststroke gold, underlining her status as one of the competition’s brightest young stars.

Kristian Mugumya Bwisho also completed an impressive double after following up his breaststroke victory with another commanding performance in the Boys 11-12 100m backstroke.

In the Girls 13-14 race, Zara Marie Mbanga secured yet another gold medal, capping a remarkable opening day that firmly established her among the championship’s standout performers.

As swimmers continue their quest for national titles and qualifying standards, the successful introduction of the electronic touch pad timing system, coupled with enthusiastic crowd support and the presence of Uganda’s Commonwealth Games representatives, has set an impressive tone for the remainder of the championships at KISU.

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The 11th edition of the Uganda Aquatics National Swimming Championships, taking place from July 2-5 at Kampala International School Uganda (KISU), will mark more than just the country’s top domestic swimming competition. It will also usher in a technological milestone as Uganda Aquatics introduces, for the first time in its history, internationally recognised electronic timing technology designed to transform how swimming competitions are conducted in the country.

The federation has confirmed that the championships will debut electronic touch pads alongside a live digital results platform, bringing Uganda’s national competition closer to the standards used at the Olympic Games and World Aquatics Championships.

For Uganda Aquatics General Secretary, Max Kanyerezi, the introduction of the new systems reflects the federation’s determination to ensure local competitions match international expectations.

“We do expect quite new technology. I sit on the technical committee of World Aquatics as the African representative, and we always train technical officials worldwide on the techniques that international aquatics requires. Even here at home, we make sure our technical officials are up to speed with what the regulations of World Aquatics require us to have.”

That commitment to international standards has culminated in one of the federation’s biggest technical investments yet.

“It’s the first time in history that Uganda now acquires these touch pads, and we’ve looked at it as a way to boost the athletes’ performance because they always say, ‘we are going to Kenya because there are touch pads, we are going here because there are touch pads’. This time Uganda also has touch pads, and that is something that is really going to be amazing.”

The electronic touch pads represent a significant leap from traditional manual timing methods. Installed at both ends of every competition lane, the pressure-sensitive panels instantly record a swimmer’s finishing time the moment they touch the wall, sending the result directly into the central timing system without the delays or inconsistencies associated with manual stopwatch timing.

Unlike conventional timing methods that rely heavily on human reflexes, the electronic system measures performances to fractions of a second, eliminating human error and ensuring every finish is captured with exceptional precision.

The technology also integrates directly with the competition’s digital scoreboard, allowing race times, split times and official results to appear almost instantly for athletes, coaches, officials and spectators.

During relay events, the system provides another layer of accuracy by working together with sensors on the starting blocks to determine whether outgoing swimmers leave the block only after their teammates have completed the touch, ensuring relay exchanges comply with competition rules.

The touch pads themselves are designed to avoid accidental readings. Rather than reacting to waves or splashes, they register only when a swimmer applies firm, localised pressure against the panel. Inside the units, durable electronic membrane switches instantly complete an electrical circuit, transmitting the official finishing time to the timing console within milliseconds.

While the technology delivers the official result, Uganda Aquatics will still retain manual timers as a safeguard, in line with international practice.

“The touch pads are placed at the finish and on the side of the pool to ensure that athletes touch and the times go automatically into the system. You’ll also see people with timers and push buttons; those are just backup times. At least now there won’t be any issues of ‘Was that the time?’ or ‘Was it provisional?’”

Kanyerezi noted that even elite competitions around the world maintain manual backups in the unlikely event of equipment malfunction.

“It happens even in World Aquatics, even at the World Championships and the Olympic Games, where you can have a malfunction, but those are things we can handle. At the moment, yes, we do have touch pads and they’re going to be used throughout the championships.”

Uganda Aquatics is also introducing a live digital results platform that will make race information immediately available on mobile devices. Instead of waiting for printed result sheets, journalists, coaches, parents and fans will be able to follow every race in real time.

“We’re also introducing a new system that will be able to share a link, including with the media. You will be able to see live results straight on your phone. This will help you get results without asking us again because we used to print them, but now you can just access them on your phone and watch the times go live.”

Every official result will become available the moment a swimmer touches the electronic pad.

“Immediately the athletes touch, the results go straight onto your phone, and you can see them straight away. We’re going to get all that technology sorted out.”

The new technology also serves as an important rehearsal for an even bigger assignment later this year. Uganda will host the Zone III Swimming Championships at the same venue (KISU), making this week’s national championships an ideal opportunity to test both the equipment and the technical teams under competition conditions.

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Uganda’s biggest domestic swimming spectacle is set to make a return as the 11th Uganda Aquatics National Swimming Championships dive into action from 2nd to 5th July at the Kampala International School Uganda (KISU), bringing together the country’s fastest swimmers for four days of elite competition, national team selection and record-chasing performances.

Widely regarded as the country’s premier swimming competition, this year’s championships promise to be the most competitive and professionally organised edition yet. More than just a race for medals, the championships will determine Uganda’s representatives for several major regional and international competitions while offering the clearest assessment of the country’s progress in the sport.

“The National Swimming Championships are our premier local competition. They fulfil one of our key mandates as a federation—to provide athletes with opportunities to compete, develop and showcase what they have been training for, while also giving us the platform to select the best swimmers to represent Uganda internationally,” said Uganda Aquatics President Moses Mwase.

With approximately 620 swimmers from 25 clubs expected to participate, the championships will once again showcase the remarkable growth of swimming in Uganda, both in participation and performance.

Every swimmer arrives at the National Championships with one objective—to perform when it matters most.

Unlike the National League, where participation may vary throughout the season, the National Championships attract virtually every top Ugandan swimmer, including athletes who return from abroad specifically to compete. Swimmers prepare extensively for this event, timing their training cycles to peak during these four days, making it the highest-quality domestic competition on Uganda’s swimming calendar.

Meet Director Eric Kisero emphasised the significance of the championships, noting that they are more than just a national competition.

“This is a premier event for our country. It is a selection event for the different international competitions, making it very important not only for Uganda but also for the rest of the region. Our immediate competitors in Zone III will also be watching our performances because we shall be hosting them later this year,” Kisero said.

The event serves as the official selection competition for several upcoming international assignments, including the Zone III Swimming Championships, which Uganda will host later this year, the Dakar Youth Olympic competitions, the World Aquatics Short Course Championships in Beijing, and other regional and international events scheduled throughout 2026 and into 2027.

For selectors, coaches and athletes alike, performances at KISU will determine who earns the privilege of wearing Uganda’s colours on the international stage.

The 11th edition introduces a more competitive qualification structure designed to raise the overall standard of racing.

Unlike previous years, entry into the championships is strictly based on qualification times achieved during the season, ensuring only swimmers who have met the required standards compete.

According to Kisero, the stricter qualification system is intended to ensure only the country’s best swimmers compete on the biggest domestic stage.

“We now have qualification times per event. The longer races have fewer heats while the sprint events accommodate more swimmers. This helps us maintain a high level of competition throughout the championships,” he explained.

The competition format has also been carefully structured according to event distance. The 800-metre and 400-metre races will each feature one heat, while the 200-metre events will have two heats, the 100-metre races four heats and the sprint 50-metre races six heats.

Competition will be held across five age-group categories: 10–11 years, 12–13 years, 14–15 years, 16–17 years, and 17 years and over, for both boys and girls.

Athletes will contest the 50m, 100m and 200m races in all four swimming strokes, alongside the Individual Medley and the longer 400m and 800m freestyle events.

While no new swimming disciplines have been added this year, Uganda Aquatics continues to strengthen inclusivity by introducing a separate competition category for swimmers with special needs. Para swimmers will also compete in selected events, particularly the 50-metre races, with plans already in place to establish dedicated para events beginning in 2027.

Competition at KISU will begin each morning with warm-up sessions from 7:00 a.m., before racing officially starts at 9:00 a.m.

Action will continue throughout the day before concluding at approximately 4:45 p.m., ensuring four days packed with continuous racing across all age groups and disciplines.

Given the record number of participants, organisers anticipate a packed venue and highly competitive racing from start to finish.

The decision to stage this year’s championships at Kampala International School Uganda, is a strategic one.

KISU’s eight-lane swimming pool provides a standard competition environment capable of accommodating more swimmers simultaneously, significantly reducing competition time compared to six-lane facilities.

Uganda Aquatics General Secretary Max Kanyerezi believes KISU provides the ideal environment for both the National Championships and Uganda’s preparations to host the Zone III Swimming Championships later this year.

“KISU is an eight-lane pool, which allows more athletes to swim at the same time and reduces the duration of the championships. More importantly, this is the venue we shall use for the Zone III Championships, so these Nationals are effectively our rehearsal before we host the region,” Kanyerezi said. Beyond efficiency, the venue serves another important purpose.

The federation also notes that many athletes enjoy competing at KISU, describing it as a “fast pool.” 

“Our athletes tell us KISU is a fast pool. They enjoy racing here because it provides a different experience, and with the heated water, we hope they can produce even better performances,” Mwase added.

One of the biggest milestones at this year’s championships is the introduction of electronic timing technology.

For the first time in Uganda’s history, Uganda Aquatics plans to use electronic touch pads during the National Championships. The system automatically records finishing times the moment swimmers touch the wall, providing greater timing accuracy while bringing national competitions closer to World Aquatics standards.

Kanyerezi described the technological upgrades as a significant milestone for Ugandan swimming.

“This is the first time Uganda has acquired touch pads. They will automatically capture the athletes’ finishing times and bring our competitions closer to international standards. We are also introducing a live results system so that athletes, coaches and the media can access results instantly on their phones,” he said.

Manual timers will continue operating as a backup system, mirroring international competition procedures used at World Championships and Olympic Games.

The championships will also debut a new digital live-results platform. Rather than waiting for printed results, coaches, athletes, media and spectators will be able to follow race outcomes instantly on their mobile phones as each swimmer finishes.

The technological upgrades represent another step in Uganda Aquatics’ efforts to modernise the sport while preparing for hosting major regional competitions.

While qualification places remain the biggest incentive, organisers also expect outstanding individual performances.

Kisero believes the sprint event could provide one of the highlights of the championships.

“The 50 metres freestyle is one race to watch. Our national record stands at 22.9 seconds, and we expect some of our leading sprinters to challenge that mark during these championships,” he noted. The championships are therefore expected to produce not only fierce battles for national titles but also opportunities for new records to be written into Uganda’s swimming history.

Outstanding performances throughout the championships will not go unnoticed. Uganda Aquatics will award medals to the top performers in every event, regardless of club affiliation, while all participating swimmers will receive participation certificates in recognition of their involvement.

The emphasis remains firmly on rewarding excellence while encouraging broad participation across the country’s growing swimming community.

Despite the intensity of competition, organisers insist athlete welfare remains the federation’s highest priority.

Kisero stressed that creating a safe competition environment remains one of Uganda Aquatics’ top priorities.

“The athlete is the centre of everything we do. We shall have medical personnel, an ambulance, lifeguards and safeguarding officers on site because providing a safe and professional competition environment is just as important as the competition itself,” he said.

What once began as a one-day competition has gradually expanded into a four-day national championship, reflecting the remarkable increase in participation, the rising standard of competition and improved organisational capacity.

According to Uganda Aquatics President Moses Mwase, the championships have grown not only in numbers but also in quality. The federation now relies on league performances to qualify swimmers for nationals, ensuring that only the country’s strongest competitors reach the premier event.

The championships also provide an annual benchmark, allowing Uganda Aquatics to assess how the country’s swimming standards compare with previous seasons while identifying emerging talent capable of competing internationally.

As the first whistle blows on 2nd July, the race will be about far more than winning national titles; it will be about shaping the future of Ugandan swimming.

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