Riviera High School Swimming Club were crowned champions of a one-day swimming competition organised by Thousand Kilo’s Women Canoe and Aquatic Swimming Club on Saturday at Hill Top Hotel, Remera.

Riviera Club took the winner’s trophy after four of their swimmers dominated the mixed 200m relay free style category beating Hill Top and Lycee De Kigali Swimming Clubs that came second and third, respectively.

Riviera swimmers including; Cleon Sexerano, Noella Mutabazi, Daniel Audra Casillas Iyongere and Nelly Ange, finished top in different age group categories.

Hill Top Swimming Club won the boys’ 6-15 years (50m breaststroke) category, with Chris Noah clocking 30 seconds to finish ahead of Alex Kamali (32 secs) from Vision Club and Waridi Nshimiyimana, who finished third in 35 seconds.

The 16 and above years girls’ 100m break stroke category was claimed by Claudette Iradukuda from Karongi Swimming club, who clocked 3 minutes and 28 seconds, while the boys’ category was won by Steven Rukundinka from CBS in 2 minutes and 37seconds.

Over 40 participants took part in the competition whose objective was to attract and encourage more women to join the sport, according to Thousand Kilo’s Women Canoe and Aquatic Swimming Club Secretary General, Luvarie Uwambajimana.

He said: "Because of our culture, some (Rwandan) women fear to expose their bodies in public, and I think, for this reason, they don’t take up the sport, so we tend to educate and encourage more girls to take up the sport, that’s why we formed this club as women to inspire others.”

Rwandan Swimming Federation president, Samuel Kinimba Ufitimana, thanked the organisers, the sponsors as well as encouraged participants, who did not finish on the podium to train harder for the next competitions.

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