Silverfin Pentathlon Day 2: Speed, Cheers, and an Early Dash to Sunday Lunch

The final day of the 2026 Silverfin Pentathlon at Kampala International School Uganda arrived with a different rhythm altogether. If Day One belonged to the energetic swims of the 12-and-under swimmers, Day 2 felt like the sleek championship edition; sharper, faster, quieter, but somehow louder at the same time.

Featuring swimmers aged 13-and-over, the final day wrapped up in record time, with the last whistles and final medals awarded well before 12 PM. Parents, coaches, officials, and swimmers alike could barely believe it. For once, a swim meet actually respected the sacred institution known as the Sunday family lunch.

What a beautiful surprise that was!

The pool deck may have had fewer bodies packed into it compared to Saturday’s sea of tiny swim caps and excited chaos, but the atmosphere remained electric. In fact, with fewer parents in attendance, every cheer echoed louder. Across the stands came isolated but passionate screams. “Gooo Shivon!” “Come on, Ryan!” “Let’s go!”

The silence between races almost made the cheers feel cinematic.

One could not help but jokingly wonder, do swimmers mysteriously retire at age 12?

Because after Saturday’s overflowing crowd of young competitors, Sunday’s older age groups looked like swimming had suddenly become an elite secret society.

Still, the quality in the water spoke volumes.

The older swimmers brought fierce competitiveness, polished technique, and tactical racing that kept spectators locked in from start to finish. Every heat carried intensity as athletes battled not only the clock, but also the cumulative demands of the pentathlon format.

Among the standout performers of the day was Jaguar Swim Club swimmer Shivon T. Nagginda, who dominated the girls’ 13–14 category. She won the 50m butterfly in 32.56 seconds ahead of Francesca Nazziwa and Nisha Pearl Najjuma before edging Najjuma again in the 100m individual medley, touching first in 1:16.92 in one of the closest races of the day. Her consistency across the events earned her the overall girls’ 13–14 pentathlon title with 44 points.

The boys’ 13–14 division proved equally competitive. Jayden Ntwali of Mako Sharks Swim Club-ZZ won the 50m butterfly in 28.27 seconds, narrowly ahead of Adam Hussein Katumba and Elijah S. Mukisa. Katumba later bounced back strongly to claim victory in the 50m freestyle in 26.63 seconds, with Ntwali and Mukisa closely behind. Mukisa eventually produced the best all-round performance in the 100m individual medley, winning in 1:08.17. Despite the fierce rivalry, Katumba secured the overall boys’ 13–14 title with 42 points, ahead of Ntwali on 40 and Mukisa on 38.

Among the 15–16 girls, Angella A. Businge of Aqua Akii Swim Club stood out throughout the day. She won the 50m butterfly in 35.40 seconds and later added another victory in the 100m IM with a time of 1:22.83. Her performances helped her finish as the overall champion in the age group with 48 points.

Rwanda’s Mako Sharks once again made their presence felt throughout the competition, with coach Patrick Rukundo praising both his team’s performance and the growth of swimming in Uganda. He revealed that several of his swimmers finished in second place across different age groups and exceeded expectations by cutting their personal best times.

“Pentathlon was very good, well organised and our swimmers improved a lot. They even did more than what I was expecting,” he said.

Rukundo, who has attended several competitions in Uganda before, also praised the country’s rapidly growing swimming scene and noted how much regional clubs continue learning from one another. He also used the opportunity to invite Ugandan swimmers to Mako Sharks’ upcoming invitational gala in Rwanda scheduled for June 6 and 7.

“Swimming in Uganda is growing so fast, and we learn a lot from here, even the way they organize competitions,” he added.

For Rwanda’s Kalisa Keza, standing on the podium was a moment of pride after delivering under pressure. Kalisa won silver medals in the girls’ 15–16 50m butterfly, 50m backstroke and 100m IM events before finishing second overall in the age-group standings with 42 points.

“It feels so amazing. Everybody was putting all their faith in me, and I achieved what they wanted,” she said after her medal-winning performance.

Her teammate, Shaza Kayihura, was equally thrilled after surviving the demanding morning schedule of back-to-back races.

“It felt so amazing. I really enjoyed it. Even though I was very tired because we did all the races in one morning, everything was amazing,” she said.

Shaza particularly loved the atmosphere in Kampala, noting that Ugandan swim meets bring a unique level of excitement.

“There is more spirit here than in Rwanda. Everyone is cheering; they have drums and different things.”

In the boys’ 15–16 events, Elisha Karuhanga of Orcas Swimming Club was the swimmer to beat. He claimed victory in the 50m butterfly in 29.20 seconds, won the 50m backstroke in 32.13 seconds and later topped the 100m IM in 1:08.97. Although Ryan Sheja Kabagema won the 50m freestyle in 27.77 seconds, just ahead of Karuhanga, the Orcas swimmer’s consistency across all events earned him the overall title with 48 points.

The senior 17-and-over categories also produced exciting races. Hanisha Katana of Gliders Swim Club impressed in the women’s division, winning the 50m backstroke in 38.64 seconds, the 50m freestyle in 32.32 seconds and the 100m IM in 1:23.31. Her performances secured her the overall senior women’s crown with 48 points.

In the men’s 17-and-over races, Victor Ogenrwot Kimuli dominated the freestyle and backstroke events. He won the 50m backstroke in 33.39 seconds and the 50m freestyle in 26.79 seconds. Ryan Asabo and Ryan Manisa of Jaguar Swim Club also delivered strong performances throughout the finals. Kimuli’s efforts earned him the overall senior boys’ title with 41 points.

Victor Ogenrwot Kimuli left the pool with both a podium finish and a major personal milestone after winning his first-ever overall trophy.

“I feel so happy and overjoyed because this is the first time I have won a trophy for overall in my age group,” he said.

He admitted he had only targeted wins in three races but exceeded his own expectations.

Meanwhile, Silverfin’s Toyimu Jeremiah, competing in the 17-and-over age bracket, described the event as a valuable learning experience.

“My swimming experience today was awesome. It helped me discover my potential and expand my friendships,” he said.

Silverfin Academy co-founder Naomi Wandera described the two-day competition as a major success as the academy celebrates 11 years.

She praised the swimmers for giving their all, thanked sponsors for backing the event, and highlighted the role played by Uganda Aquatics in providing officiation and equipment. She also noted that top performers walked away with more than medals, receiving vouchers from sponsors, including Blacklyf for training equipment and hair care products from the makeover place and other event partners.

Perhaps most importantly, she revealed that splitting the competition into two days — juniors on Saturday and seniors on Sunday — received overwhelmingly positive feedback from both parents and swimmers while also helping manage facility costs.

“The past two days have been amazing. Every swimmer gave it their best, including newcomers competing for the first time,” Naomi said.

“What we heard from parents and swimmers alike is that breaking the event into two portions was a great idea.”

Special appreciation was also extended to Sudir Ruparelia for taking time to pass by and support the event on Day 1, a gesture warmly received by swimmers, organisers, and families alike.

Overall, the final day at KISU highlighted the depth of swimming talent in Uganda, with clubs such as Jaguar, Aqua Akii, Orcas, Gliders and Mako Sharks producing outstanding performances across the senior age groups. The competition ended with tight finishes, impressive personal bests and several swimmers confirming themselves as rising stars in Ugandan swimming.

As the final medals were handed out and teams packed away banners and kickboards, there was a shared feeling around the KISU pool: the weekend had delivered exactly what Ugandan swimming continues to promise: growth, talent, friendship, and moments worth remembering.

And perhaps most impressively of all… Everyone made it home in time for lunch.

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