Kenya Aquatics president Maureen Owiti has called for early preparations ahead of the 42nd South Africa National Masters Swimming Championship set for next year in Cape Town.
Owiti urged masters swimmers to begin training in good time, expressing confidence that Kenya can improve on its recent performance on the international stage.
“We need to start our preparations soon to ensure we win as many medals as possible. I am delighted that we have a growing number of masters swimmers, and from the performance we had in George, South Africa, we can go far,” she said.
Team Kenya delivered a commendable outing at the recent championships in George, finishing eighth overall with 29 medals—eight gold, 13 silver, and eight bronze.Among the standout performers was Lina Akot, who claimed five medals, including gold in the 50m and 200m breaststroke. She also secured silver in the 50m freestyle and bronze in the 50m butterfly and 100m freestyle.
Consolata Kirubi matched that tally with five medals of her own, winning gold in the 200m individual medley and 100m breaststroke, alongside two silvers and a bronze.
Jacqueline Macharia was another top performer, bagging five medals, including three gold in the 100m backstroke, 400m individual medley, and 200m butterfly, plus two silver medals.
Clement Ngeci contributed gold in the 200m butterfly and added two silver medals, while Elvis Wanjau secured two silver and one bronze.
Jeremy Ndung’u picked up four medals, including a silver and three bronze, as Ann Chogo added a silver in the 200m breaststroke.
In the 1km open water races, Macharia claimed silver, while Olive Njuguna and Kirubi each secured bronze in their respective age categories.
The competition attracted over 500 swimmers from countries including South Africa, Zimbabwe, Germany, Namibia, Singapore, and Kenya—highlighting the growing stature of the event.Team captain Peter Nduati praised the squad’s unity and resilience, noting that the team punched above its weight despite its relatively small size. He also lauded the swimmers for making a successful debut in open water events.Focus now shifts to local competitions, with the Kenya Aquatics National Masters Championships set for April 11, followed by the Open Water Age Group Swimming Championship on April 12 in Mombasa—events expected to build on the momentum from South Africa as preparations intensify for next year’s continental showdown.
