Uganda’s water polo team is aiming to turn home advantage into a breakthrough performance as the country prepares to host the XI Africa Aquatics Zone III Championships from October 21 to 25.
The 22-player squad is part of a 197-athlete Team Uganda contingent unveiled by Uganda Aquatics during a flag-off ceremony and press briefing at Kampala International School Uganda (KISU) in Bukoto on Saturday, October 17, with the hosts targeting success across four disciplines.
Water polo captain Ampaire Namanya believes the team has the determination and preparation to compete for victory as Uganda prepares to face regional opposition on home soil.
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“I am really excited. It’s our first time doing it at such a stage. We did it previously in 2021, but it was more of a show. Now it’s competitive, so it’s a new experience, and we’re hoping to win it,” Namanya said.
The championships present an important opportunity for Uganda’s water polo players to measure their progress against regional rivals, with the home crowd expected to provide additional motivation.
Victoria Ssaka, who is also preparing for her first national-team water polo competition, echoed the captain’s confidence, insisting that the team’s training has put it in a strong position to compete.
“This is my first time competing in a national team, more or less even in water polo. I am excited. We have been in training, and our team is ready to win,” Ssaka said.
Uganda will field junior and senior water polo teams, each comprising 11 players, as the sport continues to gain a platform for development and wider competition in the country.
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Beyond water polo, Uganda’s ambitions extend to swimming, masters swimming and open water swimming, with the hosts seeking to defend their Zone III swimming title while showcasing the growth of aquatics across different age groups.
Swimming head coach Thomas Tamale expressed confidence in his athletes’ readiness, pointing to the combination of team sessions and club training as important preparation ahead of the regional contest.
“We are ready,” Tamale said.
“The team has had sessions to work together, but they have also trained at their clubs. We are ready to defend the title. Of course, swimming at home will come with its own demands, but nothing we are not ready for.”
The national contingent comprises 59 swimmers in the A team, 22 in the B team, 54 masters swimmers, 40 open water swimmers and 22 water polo players. Some athletes will compete in more than one discipline.
Masters swimming records major growth
One of the strongest indicators of Uganda’s expanding aquatics base is the growth of its masters swimming programme, which has increased from just five athletes at its regional debut in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in 2022, to 54 competitors for this year’s championships.
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Masters coach Henry Kakooza believes the growth reflects increasing participation and the experience accumulated by swimmers who have continued competing at regional level.
“We have grown well over the years,” Kakooza said.
“The first time Uganda masters went for Zone III was in Dar es Salaam in 2022, and we were just five, with only one female athlete.
“We are now 54, and very experienced, as some of us are now going for our fifth regional event.”
The current masters squad comprises 27 women and 27 men, providing an equal representation of both genders and underlining the programme’s growing reach.
The expansion offers Uganda a broader pool of experienced competitors and demonstrates that aquatics participation is extending beyond the traditional focus on elite and younger swimmers.
Kampala ready to welcome regional rivals
Uganda Aquatics president Moses B. Mwase welcomed the participating nations, highlighting the development of the championships since Uganda hosted the inaugural edition in 2015.
The five-day competition will attract teams from Burundi, Djibouti, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan and Tanzania, setting the stage for a regional contest in which Uganda will seek to capitalise on familiar conditions.
Swimming and water polo events will be held at KISU, while open water swimming will take place at Entebbe Sailing Club. Speke Resort Munyonyo will accommodate the participating delegations, with visiting teams expected to begin arriving at Entebbe International Airport on Monday, October 19.
With a sizeable national contingent, a growing masters programme and a water polo team eager to prove itself, Uganda heads into the championships with ambitions that go beyond hosting duties.
The challenge now is to translate the preparations, experience and home advantage into performances that deliver results and strengthen the country’s position in regional aquatics.