LUANDA, ANGOLA – The 4th African Youth Games swimming competition concluded in spectacular fashion on December 16, 2025, with Zimbabwe's Alexis Johnsen claiming sprint gold, Tunisia's Youssef Douma delivering a distance masterclass, and South Africa cementing their overall dominance with multiple victories at the Complexo Piscinas de Alvalade. The final session showcased thrilling sprint battles, grueling distance tests, and nail-biting medley action that brought five days of exceptional competition to a memorable close.
Sprint Freestyle Fireworks: Johnsen Stuns the Field
In one of the most exciting upsets of the championships, Zimbabwe's Alexis Johnsen—already a multi-medalist across freestyle distances—claimed gold in the Girls 50m Freestyle with a time of 27.00 seconds. The 15-year-old held off South Africa's Maya Mgcina (27.15) and Botswana's Melodi Saleshando (27.16) in a photo-finish that had the crowd on their feet.
Botswana celebrated another finals appearance as Matipaishe Gondo finished fourth in 28.05, ahead of Ghana's Oduma Agyei (28.17), Nigeria's Omolola Tobiloba Akinsanmi (28.71), Mauritius's Chloe Ah Chip (28.90), and Tunisia's Isra Aouem (29.26).
The Boys 50m Freestyle witnessed South African dominance as Eric Kotze claimed gold in 23.75 seconds, capping off a remarkable individual campaign. Algeria secured silver and bronze through Tounsi Amine Tayeb (24.20) and Rabia Ilias Amine (24.21), demonstrating North African sprint depth.
Namibia's Rodney Feris finished fourth (24.48), followed by Nigeria's Dumuje Aidan Abili (24.66), Zambia's Joshua Mulenga (24.97), Ghana's Kevin Abdallah (25.21), and Senegal's Nael Lamine Voisin (25.32)—giving West African nations strong representation in the final.
Individual Medley Excellence: Technical Mastery Prevails
South Africa's Bailey Lambert delivered another commanding performance in the Girls 200m Individual Medley, touching in 2:23.11 to secure gold. Teammate Giuliana Vyncke claimed silver in 2:26.06, while Namibia's versatile Vitoria De Sousa—one of the championships' most consistent performers across multiple events—earned bronze with 2:27.00.
Tunisia's Shaina Marzouk finished fourth (2:32.01), ahead of Algeria's Ferdi Cerine (2:37.37) and Zaidi Ines (2:37.58). Mauritius's Eva Dal Cin (2:43.61) and Zimbabwe's Mbalenhle Jared (2:48.04) completed the field.
The Boys 200m Individual Medley featured South Africa's Roelof Bartleman claiming gold in 2:11.08, ahead of Namibia's Lorenzo Esterhuizen (2:13.26) and Tunisia's Mohamed Yassine Mzoughi (2:15.47). South Africa's Gerard February took fourth (2:15.73), followed by Zambia's Joshua Mulenga (2:26.77), Mauritius's Loic Larue (2:27.71), Algeria's Torki Salaheddine (2:28.34), and Zimbabwe's Jwes Jared (2:29.97).
Distance Dominance: Endurance Athletes Shine
South Africa's Leah Markgraaff delivered her third distance gold medal of the championships, winning the Girls 800m Freestyle in 9:16.79. Teammate Kylie De Bruyn secured silver in 9:32.92, while Tunisia's Kenza Ayari claimed bronze with 9:36.80—adding to her impressive medal collection.
Namibia's Madison Bergh finished fourth in 9:37.85, demonstrating remarkable consistency across multiple distance events. Angola's home favorite Rhanya Espirito Santo secured fifth place in 9:47.11, while Tunisia's Zaineb Saidi (9:51.95), Uganda's Peyton Mary Suubi (10:00.51), and Algeria's Kamilia Amalie Mezaouar (10:04.48) showcased the growing depth of African women's distance swimming. Zimbabwe's Daniella Viki (10:34.99), Kristin Jones (10:38.58), Mauritius's Gabriella Lagesse (10:50.99), and Angola's Maria Teresa Parimbelli (11:10.30) completed the field.
The Boys 1500m Freestyle produced the performance of the championships, with Tunisia's Youssef Douma dominating in 16:10.22—a stunning display of pace judgment and endurance. South Africa claimed silver and bronze through Matthew Goller (16:48.54) and Kellen Jones (16:59.55), both delivering strong performances in their first youth international distance finals.
Zimbabwe's Connor Grist finished fourth in 17:36.38, ahead of Sudan's Adam Ahmed Yacoub Ahmed (17:49.90) and Mauritius's Loic Larue (18:29.78). Angola's Oleksander Mario Zhukov completed the distance in 20:51.01, while compatriot Santiago Rocha Guimaraes was disqualified.
Relay Finale: Team Glory Crowns Championship Efforts
The Girls 4x100m Medley Relay saw South Africa claim gold in 4:19.75, with Algeria securing silver (4:38.00) and Tunisia taking bronze (4:38.94). Zimbabwe (4:53.44), Mauritius (5:02.18), Senegal (5:15.61), and Angola (5:39.06) demonstrated the breadth of competitive swimming across the continent.
In the Boys 4x100m Medley Relay, South Africa touched first in 3:56.94, narrowly ahead of Algeria's 3:57.47 in one of the closest relay battles of the championships. Zimbabwe claimed bronze in 4:25.66, while Mauritius (4:28.19), Angola (4:29.47), and Senegal (4:45.85) rounded out a competitive field.
Championship Legacy
The 4th African Youth Games swimming competition showcased exceptional talent across 24 nations, with South Africa's depth, North African technical excellence, and breakthrough performances from smaller programs highlighting the bright future of African aquatics. The championships delivered memorable racing, personal bests, and the emergence of future continental stars who will represent Africa on the world stage for years to come.
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