Don Ndirangu during the 10th Africa Aquatics Zone 3 Swimming Championships/HANDOUTKenya’s star swimmer, Don Ndirangu, has set his sights on a new personal best time at the Kenya Aquatics National Championships, scheduled for December 4–7 at the Bandari Maritime Academy in Mombasa.
Buoyed by his dominant performance at the 10th Africa Aquatics Zone 3 Swimming Championships held at the Kasarani Aquatic Arena, Ndirangu remains steadfast, optimistic and eager to make a strong impression at the national event.
The young swimmer showcased his prowess at Kasarani, sweeping medals in several events. He clinched gold in the 50m butterfly in 28.14 seconds, as well as titles in the 100m butterfly and 100m freestyle, the latter in a meet record time of 1:03.36.
Ndirangu said he is aiming to outshine his competitors and establish himself as one of Kenya’s best.
“I don’t let anyone overtake me; I keep the lead. Last time at Kasarani, I competed alongside Africa’s finest and I defeated them. This is enough evidence that I can compete on the national level and still dominate. I’m sure history will repeat itself. This time round in Mombasa, I’m not only going to compete for medals but also to push beyond my limits and set a new personal best time record,” said Ndirangu.
His coach, Cian Omondi, expressed confidence that Ndirangu is well-prepared to deliver another strong performance.
"His training is in progress at St Nicholas Senior School. The core structure of his training is based on a long-term athlete development plan," said Omondi.
"We train him to stay longer in the sport, focusing on building every component that makes him swim better each meet but also enjoy it as he advances. He is now fully prepared for victory."
“Our main priority is keeping him in the sport. We will target sponsors and scholarships within two to three years. He has a good balance between class time and training. Our programme allows him to attend class on time and even try other extracurricular activities,” he added.
Omondi attributed Ndirangu’s progress to his discipline and determination. “He has been disciplined, focused and determined throughout training, and I think it has helped sharpen his career,” he said.
