Swimmers in action during a past championship at Kasarani Aquatic arena/ CHARLENE MALWA
Orca Swim Club emerged overall champions at the Kiambu Aquatics Association Minnows Swimming Championships held at Potterhouse School, Runda, after amassing 39 gold, 27 silver and 17 bronze medals.
Aqua Shark Fin Swim Club finished second with 20 gold, 27 silver and 30 bronze medals, while hosts Potterhouse School, Runda, completed the podium with 16 gold, 11 silver and 17 bronze medals.
Hundreds of young swimmers from 14 clubs drawn from Nairobi, Kiambu, Kajiado and Nyeri counties competed in the event, which marked the final competition of the 2025/26 season and is regarded as the first step in Kenya’s Olympic swimming pathway. Beyond determining the season’s top-performing clubs and swimmers, the championships also served as a talent-identification platform for athletes expected to represent Kiambu County at upcoming national competitions.
Kiambu Aquatics Association Public Relations Officer, Nesmus Mbati, said the championships continue to play a critical role in developing future swimming stars while recognising outstanding performances. “This is the first league in Kenyan history that has cash awards, sponsored by Genesis Limited. The number one club in the league will receive Sh50,000, number two will get Sh25,000, while the third-placed team will receive Sh15,000,” said Mbati.
The battle for the overall title had remained intense throughout the season, with Orca, Aqua Shark Fin and Snook Swim Club occupying the top three positions heading into the championships.
Orca’s dominance extended to both the boys’ and girls’ categories. In the boys’ division, they collected 17 gold, 11 silver and five bronze medals to finish ahead of Potterhouse School, which won 11 gold, seven silver and five bronze medals. Aqua Shark Fin placed third with seven gold, 19 silver and 21 bronze medals.
In the girls’ category, Orca again topped the standings with 19 gold, 14 silver and 12 bronze medals. Aqua Shark Fin finished second with 13 gold, seven silver and seven bronze medals, while Potterhouse School settled for third after collecting five gold, four silver and 11 bronze medals.
The championships also produced impressive individual performances. Potterhouse School’s Amana Maina claimed the girls’ five-year individual trophy after scoring 40 points, while Jabali Kemucie of Milfield School, Runda, topped the boys’ seven-year category with 47 points.
Sheena Kinyanjui of Otters Swim Club won gold in the girls’ eight-year-old 25m freestyle event after clocking 23.10 seconds. Carla Corfo secured silver while Lincy Mbugua took bronze.
In the boys’ five-year-old 25m freestyle race, Kojo Boaten of Iron Fins Swim Club claimed victory in 31.64 seconds. Potterhouse School’s Marcel Ndagijimana finished second ahead of teammate Mathew Sarani, who took bronze. With the curtain falling on the 2025/26 season, attention now turns to national competitions, where Kiambu County’s brightest young swimmers will seek to continue their progression along Kenya’s developing Olympic pathway.
