It was water splashes, shouts, cheers, dives, kicks, turns to name, but a few as the 202 Uganda Aquatics National Swimming Championships waved off yesterday at the Short course pool in Kampala Parents school Naguru. The much anticipated 5-day competition that will run until 6th July is coveted as the pinnacle of the Uganda swimming calendar and this year’s edition which is the 10th edition has attracted over 600 swimmers from 21 clubs.
“This year we have a total of 21 teams, and we’ve registered 323 girls, 347 boys totaling up to 670 swimmers; an increment of over 85 swimmers compared to what we had last year. Among the clubs we have Altona Swim Club, Aqua Akii Swim Club, Aquatic Academy, Kampala Baseline Swim club, Black Panther, Dolphin Swim Club, Gators swim Club (the defending champions), Gliders Swim club, Hertz Swim Club, Jaguar Swim Club, Sailfish Swim Club, Silverfin Academy, Torpedoes, whales etc; with two new clubs Tumaini Aquatic Academy and Vision for Africa. Eric Kisero – UA Nationals Competitions director.
Day one had events in 800 meters freestyle, 50 meters breaststroke and 100 meters backstroke for both the boys and the girls. The competition in the pool was quite high as most swimmers attempted to break current records, most missing onlyby microseconds. The only successful candidate being Dolphin swim club’s Kaumi Tendo who broke the Boys 17 & Over 100 Meter Backstroke National record coming in at 57.54, perivousrecord being 58.67. Aziku Ian also from Dolphin swim club,made a new personal best of 29.66 from his previous 29.93.
Though the day went on smoothly, it started with some hiccups that delayed the start for two hours, but that did not deter the spirit of the swimmers, who were determined to make their very best effort in the pool.
“Today has been a wonderful day, very fantastic. I think it went out, it has gone according to expectations. We had so many athletes who were entered for this event, which is a record for us. We had over 600 athletes, all of them have showed up in good health, no Incident. We had a small hiccup in the morning, but the event has continued and is running effectively withfantastic times with both the local and athletes from the diaspora who have come in and created a bigger vibe for. Everyone was expecting a lot and I think we have delivered on the first day andthe following days, It’s going to be very competitive. The weather is good. The online presentation is also very nice. So we are very happy with the way things are moving.” Tonny Kasuja– VP Technical Uganda Aquatics
The Uganda Aquatics National Championships are the epitome of Ugandan swimming, where every swimmer is hoping to make better times as some hope to break national records and personal records; in fact, for the past editions, there has been a new record holder for different events from the Nationals.
This edition, like the previous editions, is expected to be an exciting experience for the athletes as well as the spectators as they witness the best of swimming in the five days.
The Nationals are used by the Uganda Aquatics to select the swimmers/team Uganda that will represent Uganda in the regional and global events; Events like the Africa Aquatic Zone 3 in Nairobi this October where 10 countries in the zone are to participate for the championship; Uganda being the defending championships. These Africa Aquatics championships will also have master’s and water polo events for which Uganda representative have already been selected.
The 2025 Uganda Aquatics National championships has five age groups which include 10 and under, 11 to 12, 13 to 14, 15 to 16, 17 and over.
The event list for the swimming event includes 50m, 100m and 200m butterfly, breastroke and backstroke; 50m, 100m, 200m, 400m and 800m of freestyle. The Individual medley will only be run for 10 years and under 100 meters and 200 IM for the rest.
This has pretty much been the same event list for even the previous competitions, the only difference being that this year the event will not have 100m relays; only running the 4 by 50m relay because of the short course pool that will be used for the competition.
Talking about the objectives of this event, on top of being a selection pathway for team Uganda the president of Uganda Aquatics Moses Mwase says “The Nationals showcase talent at the highest level; but this time we have revived our motivational times for those of you who recall, we had motivational times which were disrupted a little bit by COVID. But we have reviewed them and we’ll again be unveiling them at the championships. Which times help to identify young talent that can be groomed into Uganda’s next medalists.
Like the 9th edition of the championship this edition is also being broadcast live over the Uganda Aquatics YouTube channel and all the Uganda Aquatics social media channels. The event is running from the 2nd of July to the 6th of July 2025 at the Kampala parents school in Naguru; each event day starting at 8am.
This year swimming athletes and the community will enjoy the King Baton Relay on Sunday, 06 July 2025 at the finalé of Uganda National Swimming Championships.
“We are very glad for the country that we have received the Commonwealth baton, which is running around close to 60 countries who are under the Commonwealth and we are very happy as swimming this time round to be hosting it during the Nationals.
The athletes are prepared and excited to have it.” Tonny Kasuja– VP Technical Uganda Aquatics
As part of the lead-up to the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games, the King’s Baton Relay commenced its global journey in March, visiting the Caribbean region. The relay now on its African leg that started in June, has made a stop in Uganda from the 3rd to 8th July 2025.
The King’s Baton Relay is a relay around the world held before the start of the Commonwealth Games. The baton carries a message from the Head of the Commonwealth at that time; currently King Charles III.
The relay usually starts its journey at Buckingham Palace in London, where the King entrusts the baton to the first relay runner; the Baton goes around different commonwealth nations and ends up at the Commonwealth games.
At the opening ceremony of the commonwealth Games, the final relay runner will hands the baton back to the King or his representative at the games, and the message from the king is read aloud to officially open the Games that year.