A team of about 40 Kenyan master swimmers on Saturday participated at the Uganda Swimming Federation National Swimming Championship in Kampala.

The team comprises some of Kenya’s most experienced veteran swimmers and are flying the Kenyan flag high as they compete in the high-level regional event.

The team is led by Kenya Aquatics Secretary General Collins Marigiri, team manager Nasser Motha, and team coach Jacqueline Macharia.

Among the veteran swimmers representing Kenya in this championship are Anne Obure, Gedion Kioko, Steve Odera, Hillary Leboy, and Stephanie Mwaura, all of whom have had notable careers in competitive swimming.

Speaking ahead of the championship, Marigiri expressed optimism about the team’s prospects.

“We are impressed with the team and look forward to them performing well and winning the overall trophy. Uganda has an impressive master swimming programme that focuses on adult swimming and retired competitive swimmers. We are also taking part in an exchange programme and benchmarking initiative. Our swimmers will have an opportunity to tour Kampala, compete, and have fun,” Marigiri told AVDelta News.

The Secretary General emphasised the importance of such events in fostering the growth of master swimming in the region.

Earlier this year, Kenya Aquatics held its inaugural national master swimming championship at Sabis International School, where the Uganda team also fielded swimmers.

According to Marigiri, there are many master swimming championships lined up this season, including the famous Kiambu Aquatics in December, the Africa Aquatics Zone 3 Championship in Burundi in November, and the World Aquatics Master Swimming Championship in Singapore in 2025.

Marigiri noted that Kenya Aquatics is utilizing such activities to encourage retired competitive swimmers, such as the legendary Jason Dunford, to return to the sport and give back to the swimming community.

“We also aim to inspire the younger generation of swimmers who have the potential to excel on the international stage. Additionally, the master swimming program encourages adults to keep fit and maintain a healthy lifestyle, which can help mitigate lifestyle diseases like hypertension, blood pressure, and diabetes,” he said.

There were thrilling performances on Saturday. The gala is being hosted by Uganda Swimming Federation.

Meanwhile, Kenya Aquatics has submitted a bid to host the inaugural Africa Aquatics Master Swimming Championship at the Kasarani Aquatics Stadium in Nairobi in 2025, alongside the Africa Zone 3 Swimming Championship.

In a bid to raise the standards of swimming competitions in the region, the Federation has also submitted a proposal to World Aquatics requesting donations of System 7, touchpads, and a scoreboard for use in 2025 events.

This championship in Uganda marks the first of several international competitions that the Kenyan master swimmers will participate in this year, with future plans to compete in the Tanzania Swimming Federation’s Master Swimming Championship in Dar es Salaam in 2025 and more global events on the horizon.