Braeburn, Kianda School shine at Level One swimming gala

Amy Nduku 12yrs from Makini during swimming championships at Kiota school. [Jonah Ongo, Standard]

Braeburn Swimming Club and Kianda School showed class at the weekend as they dominated the Nairobi County Swimming Association Level One Championship staged at Kiota School.

Braeburn won 18 gold, 15 silver and 10 bronze medals while Kianda garnered 10 gold, four silver and six bronze to emerge top in the men and women’s contests.

Strathmore University and Kenyatta University finished second and third on the men’s standings.

Strathmore secured seven gold, four silver and four bronze with Kenyatta taking six gold, seven silver and five bronze medals. St Hannah’s School and Barracuda Aquatics completed the men’s top five.

Strathmore and Kenyatta University girls matched their male counterparts by emerging second and third in the women’s challenge.

Strathmore garnered a total of 11 medals, eight gold, two silver and a bronze whereas Kenyatta University had 22, five gold, 12 silver and five bronze. Braeburn girls finished a distant fourth with 19 medals as Hydra Swim Club finished fifth with seven.

Hazel Muriithi of Lifetime Swim Club garnered 12 points to be ranked best in the girls 12 to 13 years category, Makena Munene of Umoja Sharks Swimming Club, Isabella Popat of Kenton College, Erin Irungu of Makini School and Mina Muhizi of Braeburn finished second, third, fourth and fifth tied on eight points.

Murithi touched the wall in 42.73 seconds to win the 50m backstroke challenge, Irungu was second in 44.14 with Munene finishing 1.03 seconds later to complete the podium. Irungu clocked 1:28.26 to carry the day in the 100m individual medley, Erica Langat and Shanice Atieno of Braeburn were second and third in a time of 1:33.52 and 1:33.82 respectively.

Popat outpaced her opponents to win the 200m in 3:04.59, Irungu settled for silver in 3:12.03 with Zahra Otieno of Kenton College taking bronze in 3:17.49.

Carston Namoit (St Hannah’s), Adrian Irungu (Braeburn) and Andrew Kimathi (St Hannah’s) were the best three in the boys 12 to 13 years competition.

Namoit accumulated 15 points to emerge top with Adrian and Kimathi finishing second and third with 12 and 11 points.

Arianna Ouma of Rusinga School topped the girls 14 to 15 years with 10 points, same as Aurora Adega of Little Fish Swim Club who finished second.