•According to the Kenya Swimming Federation (KSF), Muteti will compete in the World Universities Games, World Championships and All Africa Games
•Both Muteti and Maria did not hit their seed time of 26.59 and 26.55 respectively
Image: ERICK BARASA
Emily Muteti, Rosafio Danilo and Victoria Okumu will represent Kenya in three swimming events each this year following the national trials held at Moi Stadium, Kasarani Aquatic Centre over the weekend.
According to the Kenya Swimming Federation (KSF), Muteti will compete in the World Universities Games, World Championships and All Africa Games while Danilo will feature in the World Championships, World Juniors and AAG.
Okumu will compete at the AAG, World Juniors and Africa Juniors. Others, who will swim in multiple international games are siblings Sylvia and Maria Brunlehner, who have been entered for the World Championships and All African Games while Abubakar Ridhwan has been enlisted for the World University Games.
Kimani Maina and Issa Mohamed have been earmarked for both All African Games and World Championships. Despite tough competition, Maria said she hopes to invest in training in readiness for international competitions.
“The trials have been a bit tough. Adjusting to altitude and then the cold water was not easy. Consequently, I haven’t achieved what I’d planned and hoped for. I am looking forward to the internationals that I have qualified for. From here, I go into serious training ahead of international events. I want to work very hard and set new personal bests,” noted Maria who schools and trains in Germany.
On the other hand, Washington DC-based Kimani Maina who has made the cut for the AAG too lamented about the altitude but was elated by his qualification. He says he is going to put in more hours in training as he looks to excel in the All Africa games in Morocco in August.
Meanwhile, Mombasa Aquatics Club swimmer Emily Muteti dominated the girls’ 50m Long Course freestyle event, clocking 26.68 seconds to emerge top. She had earlier in the day topped the preliminaries with a time of 26.72.
Muteti beat the Brunlehner sisters Sylvia and Maria to the second and third positions. Pre-race favourite Maria finished a split second behind Muteti to settle for the first runner’s up position after timing 26.69. Her elder sister Sylvia clocked 26.93 for the third position.
Both Muteti and Maria did not hit their seed time of 26.59 and 26.55 respectively, but Sylvia scaled hers down by 0.92. In the boys’ 50m LC freestyle, Bandari’s Danilo posted 23.89 to win the event as Mombasa Aquatic Club’s swimmer Mohamed Issa was second in 24.10 with Bandari’s Talib Swaleh completing the podium in 24.14.
Otters Swim Club’s Samuel Ndonga posted the fastest B-standard of 25.40, Jono Opande (GEMS) tapped out in 25.77 as Stephen Ndegwa timed 26.33.