Uganda’s swimming contingent at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games is gaining valuable international exposure, with Mark Arthur Mwase and Peterson Inhensiko producing a promising performance in the men’s 100m freestyle while Zara Marie Mbanga registered a personal best in the women’s 200m breaststroke.
Uganda’s swimmers had encouraging moments on Monday, November 2, at the Dakar Aquatic Centre, where Mwase, Inhensiko and Mbanga took to the pool in their respective events.
The standout moment came in the men’s 100m freestyle Heat Four, where Uganda placed two swimmers among the top three finishers, a performance that offered a glimpse of the country’s growing depth in the discipline.
Mwase delivered a composed and competitive swim in the men’s 100m freestyle, finishing second in Heat Four with a time of 55.47 seconds.
The Ugandan was only 0.83 seconds behind heat winner Ian Martinez Alonso of Puerto Rico, who clocked 54.64 seconds. Mwase’s performance was particularly impressive from the blocks, where he registered the fastest reaction time in the heat at 0.57 seconds.
After moving into the water with the quickest start, Mwase was third at the 50-metre turn, clocking 26.47 seconds. He then produced a strong second-half effort to move into second place by the finish.
“I’m happy about that,” Mwase said after the race. “I’m enjoying the experience. It’s really hot here in Senegal, but having fun.”
Right behind Mwase was teammate Inhensiko, who finished third in 56.25 seconds.
Inhensiko made an equally encouraging contribution to Uganda’s performance. He was second at the 50-metre mark in 26.13 seconds before battling through the final length to hold off swimmers from the United Arab Emirates and Libya.
The UAE’s Abdulla Alamer finished fourth in 56.40 seconds, while Libya’s Yousef Elwalid was fifth in 56.48 seconds.
The margin between Inhensiko and the fourth-placed swimmer was just 0.15 seconds, underlining the competitive nature of the heat and the Ugandan’s ability to hold his position in a tightly contested finish.
Having two Ugandans finish in the top three of the same heat was a significant moment for the team. Mwase finished 43rd and Inhensiko 47th overall in the men’s 100m freestyle phase summary. With only the eight fastest swimmers across the heats advancing to the final, the Ugandans did not qualify for the next round.
While the boys delivered a strong showing in the freestyle, 15-year-old Zara Marie Mbanga provided another encouraging highlight for Uganda in the women’s 200m breaststroke.
Mbanga clocked 2:56.89, finishing sixth in Heat Two. More importantly, the performance saw her take three seconds off her personal best, marking a significant improvement in her individual progression.
Swimming in Lane Seven, Mbanga demonstrated determination across the four lengths of the race. She was fifth at both the 50-metre and 100-metre marks, maintaining a competitive position ahead of Cyprus’ Maria Kermanou. She recorded 38.35 seconds at 50m, 1:23.30 at 100m and 2:09.45 at 150m before touching the wall in 2:56.89.
The heat was won by Japan’s Mana Ishikawa in 2:29.37, followed by Austria’s Lilli Paier in 2:35.43 and Tunisia’s Ilef Omri in 2:45.63. The field also featured swimmers from the Philippines and Cyprus, providing Mbanga with a broad international test.
Despite finishing outside the qualification positions, Mbanga’spersonal-best improvement was a notable achievement in its own right.
Reflecting on her performance, the young Ugandan was pleased with the progress she had made but was already identifying areas for improvement.
“It was a fairly good race,” Mbanga said. “I was able to cut my time by 3 seconds. I feel like I could have improved on my turns, but overall, I’m happy with the time.”
The Ugandan swimming team returns to action today, November 3, with two swimmers scheduled to compete in their respective events.
The day’s programme will see Mwase take on the men’s 400m freestyle, while Peyton Suubi will compete in the women’s 100m breaststroke.