Uganda's Peterson Inhensiko delivered a standout performance at the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, shattering his personal best in the men's 50m freestyle. Competing in heat four, the Ugandan swimmer touched the wall in 24.73 seconds, finishing second behind Bahrain's Ali Ali, who clocked 24.33.

The result marked a significant milestone for Inhensiko, who improved on his previous best of 25.72 seconds by a full second. Despite the personal achievement, his time was not enough to secure a spot among the eight fastest qualifiers for the next round.

A Busy Day in the Pool

Inhensiko returned to the water later in the day for the men's 50m butterfly, where he narrowly missed a podium finish. He placed fourth with a time of 27.33 seconds in a race won by Suriname's Dikop Romos. Ali Ali of Bahrain took second, while Angola's Guimaraes Santiago finished third.

The Ugandan swimmer will conclude his campaign tomorrow in the 50m backstroke, an event in which he has already recorded a time of 28.70 seconds this year. He will be hoping to end his Youth Olympics appearance on a high note.

Mbanga Impresses in Individual Medley

In the women's 200m individual medley, Uganda's Mbanga Zara Marie put in a commendable performance, finishing fifth with a time of 2:35.56 minutes. Mbanga started strongly, matching eventual winner Chang Mohan of China stroke for stroke over the opening 50 meters.

However, the pace proved demanding over the backstroke and breaststroke legs, as Israel's Simcha Ofir and Malaysia's Tan Yan Qing overtook her, pushing her down to fifth. Nevertheless, Mbanga took heart from a new personal best in the event.

Athletics Team Arrives in Dakar

Meanwhile, Uganda's athletics contingent has arrived in the Senegalese capital, led by coach Ziana Cheptoyek. The eight-member delegation comprises five runners, two coaches, and one cyclist.

Cyclist Ali Ssali travelled with the team alongside his coach. The athletics competitions are scheduled to run from the 8th to the 10th of this month and will bring the 2026 Youth Olympic Games to a close.

Uganda has so far collected four medals at the Games, one gold, one silver, and two bronze, all of which have come from athletics. The arrival of the track and field team offers the East African nation a final opportunity to add to its medal tally before the curtain falls on the Dakar Games.