Arthur Mwase will arrive at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games with more than a ticket to compete, after a season in which the 17-year-old has demonstrated his range from endurance races to sprint success.
The Sailfish Swim Club youngster will represent Uganda in the boys’ 100m, 200m and 400m freestyle when swimming competition runs from November 1-8 in Senegal.
His selection follows a year in which Mwase has steadily built his profile at home and on the regional stage.
In April, he produced one of the standout performances at the Uganda Aquatics National Swimming Championships, winning the boys’ 11-and-over 800m freestyle in a personal-best 9:30.09.
Mwase finished ahead of Dolphins Swim Club’s Pendo Kaumi, who clocked 9:44.21, and Gators’ Benjamin Lutaaya in 9:58.39.
That performance highlighted Mwase’s endurance, but his season has increasingly demonstrated that his abilities extend across the freestyle distances.
At an Uganda Aquatics Swimming League meet, Mwase clocked 4:20.33 in the 400m freestyle.
While current Uganda Swim Athletes rankings list that performance second behind Heer Usadadiya’s 4:14.90.
He also showed his speed during the league season, recording 55.91 in the 100m freestyle behind Tendo Mukalazi, Ethani Ssengooba and his brother Mathew Mwase.
Zone V breakthrough
But Mwase’s biggest statement came in Nairobi at the ANOCA Zone V Youth Games.
He won Uganda gold in the boys’ 14-17 100m freestyle after stopping the clock at 57.06 seconds.
Mwase beat Kenya’s Tevin Waweru, who finished in 57.74, while Rwanda’s Sheja Kean Murenzi took third in 58.31.
His contribution did not end with the individual title. Mwase combined with Jonathan Kaweesa, Tyler Muganzi and Rahama Nakasule as Uganda claimed silver in the mixed 4x100m freestyle relay in 4:11.17.
The quartet also took silver in the mixed 4x100m medley relay, with Mwase swimming the anchor leg, while he finished fourth individually in the 200m freestyle in 2:11.69.
Uganda eventually collected nine swimming medals at the Zone V Games three gold, three silver and three bronze with Mwase among the country’s gold medalists.
Those performances helped secure an opportunity Mwase says he had spent much of the year pursuing.
“I have been working towards this for the entire year and was able to qualify by strong performances throughout the year,” Mwase said.
“I am very excited to compete and happy that my hard work paid off.”
No stranger to Uganda colours
Dakar will also not be Mwase’s first experience representing Uganda internationally.
In 2025, he competed at the Africa Aquatics Junior and Senior Open Water Swimming Championships in Mombasa, Kenya.
Adding another dimension to a developing career that has featured both pool and open-water competition.
Swimming also runs through the Mwase family, Arthur trains alongside brothers Mathew and Jaden at Sailfish Swim Club, with the siblings sharing interests in chess and music away from the pool.
Arthur’s ability to compete across different distances now makes Dakar another significant test of his development.
His official personal bests listed by the Uganda Olympic Committee are 56.3 in the 100m freestyle, 2:07.9 over 200m and 4:33.7 over 400m.
Mwase is one of 4 swimmers named in Uganda’s 25-athlete Youth Olympic team, alongside Mary Peyton Suubi, Marie Mbanga and Peterson Inhensiko.
For the teenager, however, Dakar is not intended to be the destination.
“The opportunity to compete at a very high-level meet,” Mwase said of what excites him about the Youth Olympics.
“I hope to qualify for even higher-level meets like the World Championships and to inspire the next generation of swimmers.”
Dakar gives Mwase the chance to measure that progress against a much broader field and take another step towards the senior international stage.
Team Uganda for Dakar 2026
Athletics: Baskaline Cherotwo, women’s 1500m; Racheal Chelimo, women’s 2000m steeplechase; Keren Chelimo, women’s 3000m; Michael Kibet, men’s 2000m steeplechase; Timothy Cheptoek, men’s 800m
Badminton: Ramiah Bukenya, women’s singles
Cycling: Ali Ssali, men’s road race and individual time trial
Coastal rowing: Marcel Otim, men’s solo C1x beach sprints
Rugby sevens: Victor Ampiire, Bonamy Bwambale, Trey Rugamba Gateja, Jeremiah Iragaba, Sanyu Katushabe, Moses Kibeti, Deogracious Muliira, Shafik Okole, Abdulrahman Ongima, Almadi Otema and James Ssebuufu
Swimming: Mary Peyton Suubi, women’s 400m freestyle, 100m breaststroke and 200m breaststroke, Marie Mbanga, women’s 50m breaststroke, 200m breaststroke and 200m individual medley; Mark Arthur Mwase, men’s 100m, 200m and 400m freestyle; Peterson Inhensiko, men’s 50m and 100m freestyle, 50m backstroke and 50m butterfly
Table tennis: Jemimah Nakawala, women’s singles and mixed doubles; Joseph Sebatindira, men’s singles and mixed doubles