Swimming: Mombasa gears up for Casa gala

Heraniah Sonia of Hydra Swimming Club during Level 2 Age Group Swimming Championships at Makini School on October 9. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Nairobi and Mombasa swimmers are set to extend their rivalry in swimming when they face each other at the Coast Amateur Swimming Association (Casa) organised mixed levels short course and relay swimming meet at the Aga Khan Academy, Mombasa.

Nairobi's Otters and United States International University (USIU) will be some of the Nairobi teams that are expected in Mombasa tomorrow for the three-day gala that runs from Friday to Sunday.

Mombasa swimmers will be drawn from defending champions Bandari swim club coached by former international swimmer Fakry Mansoor who also handles Aga Khan Academy swimmers, Mombasa Aquatic and Coast swim club. The 2019 SOYA awards most outstanding girl Maria Bianchi will lead the Blue Ocean swim club team.

Other Mombasa teams in the race for the top honours will be Mombasa Parents swim club and Braeburn Mombasa International School.

Most of the swimmers are fresh from participating in the national level two age group swimming gala held at Makini School, Nairobi.

Meanwhile, Casa will hold its special annual general meeting with athletes, coaches and clubs' representatives on Saturday at Aga Khan Academy.

During the Makini School event, four meet records were erased as Braeburn International School won the overall title at the national level two age group swimming championships that concluded on Sunday.

Akinyi Ouko, Nimmo Wairimu, Andrew Ogola and Nabil Shikely broke current records in different categories of the three-day gala that attracted 20 swimming clubs.

Akinyi of Braeburn clocked 41.78 to erase the 2018 meet record of Nyah Frantz in girls' 8/9 years 50m backstroke. Wairimu of Braeburn clocked 1.26.24 to set a new record after rubbing the previous record of Djulla Gadzo of1.34.20 in girls' 16 years 100m individual medley. [Ernest Ndunda]