Mombasa Aquatics shine as National Swimming Championships end in style

‎The five-day event brought together over 50 teams from across Kenya, as well as swimmers from Uganda and Tanzania.

The coastal city became a centre of speed, hard work and young talent as swimmers battled for top honours.

‎Mombasa Aquatics dominated the men’s category after winning a total of 38 medals, 16 gold, 13 silver and nine bronze.

This strong performance saw them finish top ahead of Bandari Swim Club, who collected 37 medals, while Braeburn Swimming Club took third place with 23 medals.

‎One of the highlights of the championships came on the final day when Bandari’s Stephen Ndegwa won gold in the men’s 50-metre freestyle in a fast time of 24.15 seconds.

Following his victory, the 22-year-old said he is now aiming to break more national records and hopes to represent Kenya at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

‎Another big moment belonged to 13-year-old Nadia Vusha of Torpedo Eldoret. The young swimmer won gold in the 100-metre breaststroke after clocking 1 minute 26.64 seconds.

She finished ahead of Makena Muthuri of Otters and Lea Ibrahim of Kenton College. An excited Vusha said winning at the national level was a dream come true.

‎In the girls’ category, Braeburn Swimming Club finished top with 36 medals. Mombasa Aquatics came second with 28 medals, while Sea Horses Aquatic Center ended in third place with 23 medals.

‎Overall, Mombasa Aquatics finished on top of the combined medal table with 75 medals, showing their strength across both boys and girls. Braeburn Swimming Club finished second overall, while Bandari Swim Club settled for third place.

‎The championships were praised by swimmers and officials alike. Nakuru Aquatics swimmer Stella Karanja said the event was well-organised and showcased the depth of talent in Kenyan swimming. Kenya Aquatics Secretary General Collins Marigiri also described the championships as a big success and a strong end to the swimming calendar for the year.

‎Next, attention shifts to the continental stage, where Kenya will send a six-member team to the 4th African Youth Games in Angola from December 10 to 20. The team will be made up of swimmers aged between 14 and 17 who will compete in 33 events as Kenya looks to continue its good run in swimming.