Bandari dominate national age group championship

Kunaal Khagram of Bandari Swimming Club after completing the Kenya National Age Groups and Relays Swimming Championship boys 100m backstroke heat at Bandari Maritime Academy in Mombasa on December 14, 2019. PHOTO | WACHIRA MWANGI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Bandari SC’s traditional Coast rivals, Mombasa Aquatics finished second with 1,030 points while Otters Swim Club of Nairobi came third with 593 points
  • Bandari won the men's crown after garnering 713 points followed by Mombasa Aquatics and Otters SC who got 495 and 317 points respectively
  • Bandari’s 16-year-old Kunaal Khagram was one of star attraction during the last day of the championship when he won the boys 16 years and over 100m backstroke event in one minute 04.56 seconds

Bandari Swim Club amassed 1,251 points to emerge overall winners of the Kenya National Age Groups and Relays Swimming Championship held at Bandari Maritime Academy in Mombasa.

But this year’s championship, which concluded on Sunday, produced only one new national record which was set by Mombasa Aquatics in the boys 12-13 years’ 200 metres’ freestyle relay event.

Bandari SC’s traditional Coast rivals, Mombasa Aquatics finished second with 1,030 points while Otters Swim Club of Nairobi came third with 593 points.

Makini Schools Sports Academy was fourth with 345 points as Hydra and Sports Club Academy completed the top five finishers on 289 points.

Bandari won the men's crown after garnering 713 points followed by Mombasa Aquatics and Otters SC who got 495 and 317 points respectively. In women's category, Bandari emerged top with 538 points, Mombasa Aquatics was second with 535 points while Otters completed the podium with 276 points.

Bandari’s 16-year-old Kunaal Khagram was one of star attraction during the last day of the championship when he won the boys 16 years and over 100m backstroke event in one minute 04.56 seconds followed by club-mate Rushab Shah, 16, who timed 1:06.81.

Khagram also led his colleagues Stephen Ndegwa, Riva Karia and Catherine Mason to win the mixed 16 years and over 400m medley relay event where they clocked 4:56.85 with Mombasa Aquatics team of Gakenia Mwige, Amin Salim, Mohammed Khandawalla and Luhaina Islam Ali finishing second in 5:10.30.

Bandari swimmers Riva Karia, 17 and Saloni Patel completed a 1-2 finish in the girls 16 years and over 100m backstroke in 1:18.89 and 1:21.37 respectively.

Thirteen-year-old Lubaina Islam Ali of Mombasa Aquatics won the girls 12-13 years 100m freestyle title when she clocked 1:07.07, followed closely by Blue Ocean SC’s Maria Bianchi who returned 1:07.78 and third-placed Ashley Kagwima in 1:09.63.

Axela Echessah and Neema Kitonga, both of Otters SC, sealed first and second places in the girls 14-15 years 100m freestyle in 1:09.77 and 1:10.15 respectively. Third position went to Bubbles Swimming Academy’s Rachel Michelle Muriithi who timed 1:11.33.

Danilo Rosafio of Bandari clocked 54.04 to win the boys 16 years and over 100m freestyle event with Cian Omondi of Makini and Seahorses Swim Team’s Kirunda Kunyiha finishing second and third in 57.95 and 58.00 respectively.