Ten swimmers selected for Africa Zone III championship

RWANDA Swimming Federation has unveiled a 10-member squad for this year’s Africa Zone III and IV championships scheduled for April 24-17 in Kampala, Uganda. Organised by Africa swimming governing body (CANA), the championship is among the Commonwealth Games qualifying events. Rwanda is among 24 countries that have so far confirmed participation in the championship to be held at Kampala Parents School Pool. “It will give our swimmers some exposure, especially those striving to qualify for the Commonwealth Games in summer in Glasgow, Scotland and World Youth Games in China,” the Rwanda swimming federation chairman Samuel Kinimba told Times Sport. Swimmers making up the squad include Beijing Olympic athlete Jackson Niyomugabo and double Olympic athlete Alphonsine Agahozo. Also on the list are youngsters Babu Gatete, Patrick Rukundo and Isiaq Irankunda. Kinimba also added that they have plans to field swimmers in this year’s Africa Youth Swimming Championship slated for May. In the past three or so years, local swimmers have been competing in major international competitions, including the Olympic Games, but none of them has managed to achieve any meaningful success. Besides Rwanda and hosts Uganda, the other countries that have confirmed their participation in the CANA Zone 111 and 1V Championships in Kampala are Eritrea, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya, Burundi and Djibouti, all from Zone 111. Those from Zone IV are Zambia, Zimbabwe, Comoros, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Seychelles, Swaziland and South Africa. Rwanda team: Alphonsine Agahozo [50m freestyle], Babu Gatet [50m freestyle], Janvier Uwimana [50m & 100m breaststroke], Mehboub Shantiyar [50m freestyle], Jackson Niyomugabo [400m freestyle] Others; Eloy Imaniraguha [50m & 100m butterfly], Claude Iradukunda [100m freestyle], Orsola Rwabukwandi [50m breaststroke], Patrick Rukundo [50m freestyle & butterfly] and Isiaq Irankunda [50m butterfly & freestyle].

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Ten swimmers selected for Africa Zone III championship