Swimmers back from Morocco, set sights on Delhi competition

Elvis Ogina | nation
Mohamed Zubeir, Talisa Lanoe and Anham Salyani lead members of Kenya’s swimming team when they arrived from Morocco on Tuesday. The team is now headed to the Commonwealth Games.

What you need to know:

  • After reaching the finals in all my categories, I’m now prepared for the Commonwealth Games, said Lanoe

Kenya’s team arrived back home on Tuesday from the Africa Swimming Championships in Morocco and immediately shifted their focus to the Commonwealth Games in Delhi.

Dunford brothers Jason and David did it again at the 10th Africa championships in Casablanca, the elder Jason bagging two gold medals as David won one gold.

Kenya emerged fourth overall at the championships with six medals – three gold, two silver and a bronze. South Africa lead with 54 (25, 14, 15) followed by Tunisia and Algeria.

Hosts Morocco were fifth.

“That was a great performance for us as a team and I’m glad I broke some national records at the event,” said Talisa Lanoe.

Broke two records

Lanoe broke two national records in the 200 metres backstroke by eclipsing the old mark of two minutes and 36 seconds by clocking 2.32. She then improved on the old 200m open category record of 2.40 with her new mark of 2.32.

“After reaching finals in all my categories I’m now more prepared for the Commonwealth Games,” said Lanoe.

Conspicuously missing from the arriving party were Jason and David.

‘The Dunford brothers could not be with us on this trip but we are proud of their performance,” said Caro Nzioki, the team’s competition secretary. “They will be joining the team for the Commonwealth Games.”

Kenya’s Commonwealth swimming team:

Jason Dunford, David Dunford, Talisa Lanoe, Sylvia Brunlehner, Anham Salyani, Kanyali Ilako, Hamka Patel, Amar Shah, Ramadhan Vyombo, Akshay Shah