Rwanda secured third place in senior water polo at the 11th edition of the Africa Aquatics Zone III Swimming Championships 2026, held in Uganda from October 21 to 25, as the country’s swimmers competed against regional rivals in one of East and Central Africa’s major aquatic sports competitions.
The championships brought together athletes from seven countries: Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, Somalia and Djibouti. The competition featured swimming events across different age groups, alongside water polo and open-water swimming.
Rwanda finished fourth in the main swimming competition, collecting 1,356 points. Uganda topped the standings with 3,656 points, followed by Kenya with 2,728 and Tanzania with 2,547, according to Daily Monitor.
Rwandan swimmer Christian Byiringiro is
among the country’s notable performers. He won gold in the boys’ 15-and-over 400-metre individual medley on the opening day, finishing in 5 minutes 10.29 seconds.
He also secured bronze in the 800-metre freestyle event.
Christian makes Rwanda proud by winning the Gold Medal in the 5KM Open Water Swimming at the Africa Aquatics Zone 3 Championships in Entebbe, Uganda!
A remarkable performance, great endurance, and a champion’s spirit.
Rwanda also made its mark in water polo, finishing third in the senior category. Kenya won the senior and junior water polo competitions, while Uganda finished second in both categories.
The championships provided Rwandan athletes with an opportunity to compete internationally and measure their performances against some of the region’s strongest swimming teams.
Rwanda’s bronze medal in senior water polo and its performances in swimming highlighted the country’s participation in the regional championships. However, the overall claim that Rwanda won 11 medals across all disciplines requires confirmation from a complete official medal tally.
