Kenyan swimmers post mixed results in Rabat

Ace swimmers Maria Brunlehner and Emily Muteti advanced to the next round of the competitions at the ongoing All Africa Games in Casablanca, Morocco yesterday.

On the other hand, their male counterparts crushed out of the competitions in 100m freestyle and 50m breaststroke.

Brunlehner timed 58.44 in the women’s 100m freestyle and ranked fifth behind leader Erin Gallagher of South Africa who clocked 55.94, Egyptian Farida Osman (56.96), South Africa's Emma Chelius (57.60) and Algerian Amel Melih (57.70). Gallagher is the course record holder for both Africa (54.23) set in April 2018 and the African Games (55.41) posted in September 2015.

Muteti and Brunlehner, both 19, advanced to the next round of women’s 50m breaststroke after they both finished in the top eight of the event. Muteti, a student of Grand Canyon University, placed fourth after tapping out in 33.62, whereas Germany-based Brunlehner timed 33.98 for the sixth spot. Zambian Tilka Palik topped the field of 18 in a time of 32.67.

Swimmers in this event will be seeking to erase Tatjana Schoenmaker’s (South Africa) continental record of 30.82 and AAG’s 32.62. In the men’s 100m freestyle, Mohamed Ridhwan and Swale Abubakar crushed out of the competitions after placing out of the top eight positions. Ridhwan, 19, clocked 52.94 as Abubakar, who trains with the Scottish National Swimming Academy finished in 54.35 to settle for positions 12 and 20 respectively. Egyptian Samy Mohamed scooped the first place in 50.47.

Samuel Ndonga missed the mark in men’s 50m breaststroke after he timed 31.16 for position 19 in a field of 31 swimmers. Youssef Elkamash of Egypt topped to field adfter clocking 27.70.