Pragassa takes records tally to 12 in one meet
What you need to know:
- Pragassa, who had broken five national records on the first day of the championship on Saturday, won every event he took part in, breaking seven of his national records on Sunday
- Pragassa started the day on Sunday by breaking the junior and boys’ 14-15 200m IM national record when he clocked two minutes,17.25 seconds. He set the old record of 2:20.19 in Mombasa on June 2
- The Mombasa Academy student set two other records; the junior and boys’ 14-15 years 200m freestyle event which he won 2:05.03, lowering his old mark of 2:06.50 set on February 2
- Pragassa completed the day by setting three national records in the allcomers, junior and boys’ 14-15 years 200m breaststroke races when he improved his old time of 2:38.29 to 2:35.78
Mombasa Academy’s Tory Pragassa set seven more national records on the second day of the Coast Amateur Swimming Association (Casa) Open and Age Group Swimming Championships at Aga Khan Academy.
Pragassa, who had broken five national records on the first day of the championship on Saturday, won every event he took part in, breaking seven of his national records on Sunday.
Pragassa said in an interview with the Daily Nation that he was happy to have set several national marks and that he will continue training harder to achieve his goal of featuring in international championships.
“My main aim is to qualify for the forthcoming Commonwealth and Olympic Games,” said the 15-year-old swimmer who set seven records in 200m individual medley (IM), 200m freestyle and 200m breaststroke events.
He attributed his success to his Mombasa Academy and Bandari Swimming Club, his parents and coach Fakhry Mansoor.
Records fall
Pragassa started the day on Sunday by breaking the junior and boys’ 14-15 200m IM national record when he clocked two minutes,17.25 seconds. He set the old record of 2:20.19 in Mombasa on June 2.
The Mombasa Academy student set two other records; the junior and boys’ 14-15 years 200m freestyle event which he won 2:05.03, lowering his old mark of 2:06.50 set on February 2.
Pragassa completed the day by setting three national records in the allcomers, junior and boys’ 14-15 years 200m breaststroke races when he improved his old time of 2:38.29 to 2:35.78.
Kenya’s international swimmer, Ramadhan Vyombo of Aga Khan Academy won the 100m freestyle race for men’s 16 years and over in 56.51 seconds, while 12 year-old Nabil Shikely of Mombasa Aquatics returned one minute, 4.7 seconds in the boys’ 12-13 years event.
In the girls’ category, Oshwal Academy’s Jasmeen Alibhai won the 10-11 years 100m backstroke event in 1:27.60, followed by Justine Nelson and M Machuka, both of Nyali, in 1:33.53 and 1:37.38 respectively.
Oshwal’s Ambaar Michaelo clocked five minutes, 27.53 seconds to win the girls’ 12-13 years 400m freestyle event while Mombasa Academy’s Maria Brunlehner took 38.21 seconds to win girls’ 12-13 years 50m breaststroke competition.
