KENYAN SWIMMERS FLOP: Kamau fourth in 200m freestyle as Muteti swims to sixth place

Kenya’s Rebecca Kamau finished fifth in the 200m freestyle final in 2:07.03, on Monday. The race was won by Karin Prinsloo of South Africa in 2:00.14.

Second was Marlies Ross also of South Africa in 2:02.61. Her compatriot Majda Chebaraka came in third in 2:02.63, with Rwan Elbadry of Egypt fourth in 2:05.03.

Kamau beat three swimmers from Tunisia (Rim Ouennich), Egypt (Salma Saber) and Ivory Coast (Marie Talita Te Fan).

Another Kenyan, Emily Muteti, was sixth in the 50m butterfly in 28.62 in an event won by Egyptian Farida Osman (26.31), with Vanessa Mohr of South Africa second in 26.39 and her compatriot Jessica Ashley Cooper third in 27.02.

Kenya fared rather badly in the mixed 4x100m freestyle competition, finishing second last out of eight teams.

In the Kenyan quartet were Edward Ilako, Sylvia Brunlehner, Emily Muteti and Issa Abdellah. South Africa, fielding Olympic champion Chad Le Clos, Clayton Jimmie, Marlies Ross and Karin Prinsloo, won in 3:31.56 followed by Egypt in 3:32.52 and Algeria in 3:40.93. Algeria, Tunisia, Zimbabwe and Mauritius followed in that order while Mozambique were last in 3:55.93.

In yesterday’s morning events, Olympic champion Chad Le Close of South Africa won the 50m butterfly in 24.55 with Kenyan Issa Abdellah finishing fourth in 25.66. Second was another South African, Allard Basson in 24.88.

Former Olympic champion Kirsty Coventry won the 100m backstroke’s second heat in 1:02.20 followed by South Africa’s Karin Prinsloo in 1:02.74 and Alexus Laird of Seychelles in 1:05.47. Kenya’s Talisa Lanoe finished fifth in 1:08.54.

In the first heat, another Kenyan, Anita Field ended up in sixth place only better than Zambia’s Shannon Hassen in an event won by South Africa’s Jessica Ashley Cooper in 1:04.85 with Botswana’s Naomi Ruele in second place and Egypt’s Mariam Sakr third.

Rebecca Kamau qualified for the 50m backstroke final after finishing second in the third heat in 33.99 behind Algeria’s Hannah Taleb Bendiab.

The second Kenyan in the same heat, Natasha Oduor-Owino, missed the cut after finishing fourth in 37.86.

Meanwhile, Kader Bidimbou bagged a brace as hosts Congo Brazzaville made a successful start to the 2015 All-Africa Games football tournament by edging Sudan 2-1 Monday, adds an AFP report.

The other Group A match was equally close with Burkina Faso scoring midway through the second half for a 1-0 victory over Zimbabwe.

After a  0-0 Group B stalemate between title-holders Ghana and Senegal on Sunday, Bidimbou scored the first goal of the quadrennial multi-sport African festival within the first minute.

Walaa Mohamed levelled for All-Africa Games football debutants Sudan only for Bidimbou to score the match-winner just before half-time.

Congo Brazzaville hosted and won the first All Africa Games football tournament 50 years ago winning the final against Mali 7-1 on corners after a goalless draw.