Team Uganda Concludes Swimming Campaign as Junior Cranes Sevens Reflect on Dakar 2026 Journey.
Team Uganda’s swimming campaign at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games came to a close with Mark Arthur Mwase delivering a competitive performance in the boys’ 200m freestyle, while the Junior Cranes Sevens team returned from the Games with valuable international experience and renewed focus on the future of Ugandan rugby.
Mwase Concludes Swimming Campaign
Ugandan swimmer Mark Arthur Mwase finished second in his heat of the boys’ 200m freestyle, clocking 2:05.39 to conclude his participation at the Youth Olympic Games.
Mwase recorded the fastest reaction time in his heat at 0.56 seconds and maintained second position throughout the race. He registered splits of 28.20 seconds at 50m, 59.80 seconds at 100m and 1:31.80 at 150m.
Belgium’s Alexander van Hoey Billiet won the heat in 1:55.46.
Mwase also finished ahead of three African competitors, Libya’s Yousef Elwalid, who clocked 2:06.63, Rwanda’s Sheja Murenzi in 2:12.37 and Tanzania’s Zack Okumu in 2:12.52.
His performance marked the conclusion of Team Uganda’s swimming participation at Dakar 2026, with the young swimmer gaining valuable exposure and experience on the international stage.
Junior Cranes Sevens Discuss Rugby’s Future with President Kayangwe
Meanwhile, Uganda Rugby Union President Godwin Kayangwe hosted the Junior Cranes Sevens team and their parents following the conclusion of the team’s campaign at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.
The engagement provided an opportunity to recognise the players’ efforts and the experience gained while representing Uganda at the global competition, where the team finished eighth.
President Kayangwe held constructive discussions with the players and parents on the future of rugby in Uganda, focusing on player development, sustained investment and strengthening the pathway from junior to senior international competition.
The meeting highlighted the importance of nurturing young talent and creating opportunities for athletes to progress through the national rugby structures and compete at higher levels.
The Junior Cranes’ participation at Dakar 2026 represents an important milestone in their development, as they continue to build on the experience gained against some of the world’s best young rugby players.
As Team Uganda’s participation in the Youth Olympic Games continues across other disciplines, the swimming and rugby teams’ experiences underline the importance of international exposure in developing the country’s next generation of athletes.
