Medal rush as Kenyan swimmers increase tally

By Ernest Ndunda

Kenyan swimmers continued to make strides in Lusaka, Zambia as the African Swimming Confederation Zone Three and Four swimming championships entered its third day on Saturday.

The gala, which has attracted 10 nations, is being held at the Olympic Youth Development Centre in Lusaka.

Kenya’s Emily Muteti of Mombasa won bronze after timing 10.18 minutes in the girls under-14 800m freestyle category won by Namibia’s Molina Smalley with a time of 10:00 minutes and her countryman, Zanre Oberholzer, scooped silver with a time of 10:08 minutes.

In the girls 15 years and over 800m freestyle Kenya’s Awori Danielle scooped the silver medal and Uganda’s Kaitlin Harthoorn got bronze in the event won by South Africa’s Mieke Koen.

Kimani Maina of Kenya scooped a silver ware in the boys’ 15 years and over in 800m freestyle in an event won by David Van Der Colff of Botswana while Namibia’s Jorn Diekmann won Bronze.

Win silver

International swimmer Ramadhan Vyombo added Kenya another medal after he splashed his way to win silver in the boys 17 years and over in 50m butterfly. The Mombasa based swimmer timed 26.27.

Another medal for Kenya came through Awori in the girls’ 15/16 50m backstroke. She timed 33.28 second for the silver where Botswana’s Naomi Ruele won with a time of 31.72.

Zambian, Charis Huddle, 15, managed a bronze after clocking 33:63 seconds.

After winning five gold medals on the first day of the tournament, Kenya went ahead to win four more medals – three silver and one bronze – in 800m freestyle.

Other countries that have won medals include Malawi (one gold and bronze), Namibia (one gold and silver), South Africa (one gold) and Zimbabwe (one bronze).

The competition, which ends on Sunday has attracted participation from Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Tanzania, Malawi, Uganda, Kenya, South Africa, Zimbabwe and host nation Zambia.