Team Kenya hope to extend impressive form at inaugural Africa Masters Championships

Standing: Sharon Chebii, Grishon Onyango, Jacqueline Macharia and Lucy Kavila. Sitting: Anne Chogo,  Olive Njuguna and Clement Ngeci/HANDOUT

Team Kenya have turned their focus to next year’s inaugural Africa Aquatics Masters Championship in Ghana as they seek to build on a string of impressive performances in recent regional events.

They are fresh from a dominant showing at the Zimbabwe Masters in Harare and a strong outing at the Zone 3 Championships held at Kasarani. This leaves the swimmers confident about making a major impact at the continental championships between April 28 and May 2, 2026.

Kenya Aquatics Technical Director, Omar Omari, said, “We have a good crop of swimmers who have done exceptionally well in the last fortnight. I believe they need more exposure and funding to be at peak level by the time we go for the Africa Championships next year.”

He added, “As the federation, we are delighted with the increasing numbers of over 25-year-old swimmers, which gives us a good depth of athletes to choose from in regional or continental events.”

At the Zimbabwe Masters Championship, Team Kenya delivered a stunning performance, collecting a total of 58 medals: 32 gold, 17 silver and nine bronze.

Team leader Jacqueline Macharia led from the front with 10 medals — nine gold and a silver. Olive Njuguna bagged nine gold medals while Clement Ngeci impressed with nine medals — six gold, one silver and two bronze. Sharon Chebii claimed three gold and three silver medals, while Grishon Onyango earned eight medals — one gold, five silver and two bronze. Ann Chogo brought home one gold, three silver and four bronze medals, and Lucy Kavila claimed three gold, four silver and one bronze medal.

The competition featured 34 athletes — 27 from Zimbabwe and seven from Kenya. Although the Zimbabweans led in the men’s category to take the overall crown with 51 gold, 11 silver and three bronze medals, the Kenyan contingent left a lasting impression with their spirited display.

Omari noted that the Kenyan swimmers’ success reflected improved training routines, consistency, and discipline within the Masters programme. “Our athletes are balancing work, family and sport, which makes their achievements even more remarkable,” he said.

Macharia praised her teammates for their unity and determination. “Every swimmer gave their all. We came here to represent Kenya with pride. We did exactly that,” she said.

She added that the team is now focusing on enhancing endurance and perfecting stroke techniques ahead of the Africa Aquatics Masters Championship, where they aim to make history by winning Kenya’s first continental team title.