Kenya’s Abubakar breaks record set in 2006 at Commonwealth Games

Swimmer Ridhwan Abubakar (right) with his former coach Fakry Mansoor. [Courtesy]

Kenya’s Ridhwan Abubakar boosted his chances of shinning at the Commonwealth Games after he smashed a 16-year-old national record during the Plymouth Leander Spring Level One Long Course swimming championships, in the United Kingdom.

Abubakar, who is a student at the Plymouth University, set a new Kenyan record in boys' 16 years and over in the 400m freestyle. He smashed David Dunford’s earlier record of 4 minute 11.31 set on September 11, 2006.

The record had been intact for 16 years until Abubakar's arrival at the pool. The 22-year-old, who is a former swimmer of Mombasa’s Bandari Swimming Club, set a new record of 4.10.68.

The swimmer, who has already attained the 600 FINA points to enable him swim in the July Games, has previously represented Kenya at the 2016 Canada and 2018 China FINA World Championships.

He also participated in the 2018 Africa Youth Games in Algeria and the Summer World University Games in 2019.

Other Kenyan male swimmers in the list of the Commonwealth Games are Olympian Danilo Rosafio, Swaleh Talib, Stephen Nyoike, Tory Pragassa, Monyo Maina, Tabuka Bifwoli and Ivan Hart while Jono Per Opande is on the reserve list.

Africa Youth champion Maria Brunlehner and Olympian Emily Muteti are in the women's list to the Commonwealth Games, so is Rebecca Kamau, the first female swimmer to qualify for the semi-finals at the World Championships.

Others are Imara-Bella Thorpe, who won gold, silver and bronze at the CANA Zone IV championships in Harare, Zimbabwe in 2019 and Lucia Ruchti. In the reserve list are Lubaina Islam and Victoria Okumu.