From a 1950s swimming pool to international championships, how Makerere University‘s swim club became a dominant force in Ugandan aquatics.

In the heart of Kampala’s oldest and most prestigious university, a pool that has stood since the late 1950s continues to churn out champions. The Mak Sharks, the competitive swim club that doubles as the Makerere University Swim Team, have grown from a modest university outfit into one of the most celebrated aquatic programs in Uganda, making their presence felt on both local and international stages. Their story is one of discipline, ambition, and an unwavering love for the sport that has carried them from the pool on Makerere Hill to some of the biggest aquatic stages in the world.

Today, the Mak Sharks stand as defending champions in Ugandan Water Polo and the Association of Ugandan University Sports (AUUS) Games, a distinction that speaks volumes about the calibre of athletes this program continues to produce. But to truly understand what makes this club remarkable, one must go back to where it all began.

A Legacy Born in the Late 1950s

Makerere University‘s swimming pool is one of the oldest aquatic facilities in Uganda, having been constructed in the late 1950s during a period of rapid institutional development at the historic university. At the time, Makerere was already establishing itself as the premier centre of higher learning in East and Central Africa, and the construction of the pool was part of a broader vision to provide students with world class facilities that nurtured both academic and physical excellence.

For decades, the pool served as a recreational and fitness facility for students and staff alike, quietly building a culture of swimming on the hill. Generations of Makerere students learned to swim in those waters, and the pool became as much a part of university life as the lecture halls and libraries that surrounded it. Yet for all the enthusiasm around the sport, competitive swimming at Makerere remained largely informal for much of its early history.

It was not until early 2014 that this rich aquatic heritage was formalised into a competitive entity. The Makerere University Swim Team, popularly known as the Mak Sharks, was officially established, bringing structure, ambition, and a competitive spirit to the poolside. The founding of the club marked a turning point for aquatic sports at Makerere. What had once been a pastime became a passion, and what had once been recreation became a relentless pursuit of excellence.

From the very beginning, the club set out with a clear mission: to represent Makerere University with distinction, to develop Uganda’s aquatic talent, and to compete at the highest levels possible. In just over a decade since its founding, the Mak Sharks have achieved all of that and more.

A Growing Force: 47 Athletes Strong

Today, the Mak Sharks boast a squad of 47 athletes, composed of 27 male and 20 female competitors who train and compete across a range of aquatic disciplines including competitive swimming, water polo, and open water events. The club’s growing membership is a testament to the increasing interest in competitive swimming at Makerere, and reflects the club’s ability to attract and develop talent from across Uganda.

The squad is a diverse mix of first year students discovering competitive swimming for the first time, and seasoned athletes who have represented Uganda on the international stage. This blend of youth and experience gives the Mak Sharks a unique depth that sets them apart from many of their rivals. Senior athletes mentor younger ones, passing down not just technique but the culture of excellence that has become the club’s defining trait.

The team is guided by a philosophy that demands excellence not just in competition, but in character. Athletes are expected to balance academic rigour with athletic commitment, embodying the full spirit of student sport at one of East Africa’s leading universities. Training sessions are intense and consistent, with the pool on Makerere Hill serving as the proving ground where champions are shaped, early in the morning and late into the evening.

It is this culture of commitment that has allowed the Mak Sharks to grow year after year, attracting new talent and producing athletes who go on to represent not just their university, but their country. The pipeline from the Makerere pool to the national team has become increasingly well travelled, and the club takes pride in the role it plays in the broader development of Ugandan aquatics.

At the helm of this competitive program is Mr. Tamale Thomas, the club’s Head Coach, whose leadership and technical expertise have been instrumental in shaping the Mak Sharks into the formidable unit they are today. Under his guidance, the team has continued to sharpen its skills, raise its competitive standards, and build the kind of tactical depth that wins championships. His dedication to the athletes and his belief in the club’s potential remain a driving force behind every training session and every race.

Defending Champions: Dominating the Waters

The Mak Sharks are no strangers to the winner’s podium. The club currently holds the title of defending champions in Ugandan Water Polo, a feat that underscores their dominance in one of the most physically demanding and tactically complex aquatic disciplines. Their water polo squad has consistently outperformed rivals to retain the national crown, demonstrating not just individual brilliance, but the kind of cohesive team play that only comes from years of training together and a deep understanding of the game.

Water polo is a sport that demands extraordinary fitness, tactical intelligence, and the ability to perform under extreme pressure. The fact that the Mak Sharks have been able to maintain their dominance at the national level in this discipline is a reflection of the quality of coaching, the dedication of the athletes, and the strength of the club’s overall program. Opponents have come and gone, but the Sharks have remained at the top, a constant in an ever competitive national landscape.

Equally impressive is the club’s status as the current defending champions of the Association of Ugandan University Sports (AUUS) Games, a competition that brings together student athletes from universities across Uganda. The AUUS Games represent the pinnacle of university level sport in the country, and to emerge as champions from a field of competitive institutions is a distinction that the Mak Sharks have earned through consistent, high level performance. Retaining this title is a point of immense pride for the club, for Makerere University, and for everyone who has contributed to building the program over the years.

Flying the Flag: Local and International Representation

Perhaps the most remarkable chapter in the Mak Sharks’ story is the breadth and ambition of their competitive journey. Since their founding in 2014, the club has represented Makerere University and Uganda at every level of competition, refusing to limit themselves to what is comfortable or familiar. Their competitive record is a testament to a club that is always looking beyond the next race, always setting its sights on the next horizon.

Their most notable competitive appearances include:

• World University FISU Games 2025, Rhine Ruhr, Germany: Representing Uganda on the world’s biggest student sport stage, the Mak Sharks competed among elite university athletes from across the globe. The FISU World University Games is the Olympics of student sport, and the fact that Makerere University‘s swim team has earned a place at that table is an achievement that deserves to be celebrated. Competing in Germany, the athletes carried Uganda’s flag with pride, gaining invaluable exposure to world class competition and making their mark on the global student sport community.
• 2024 All Africa FASU Games, Lagos, Nigeria: The team travelled to West Africa for the continental university games, competing against some of the best student athletes from across the African continent. The FASU Games are a premier showcase of African university sport, and the Mak Sharks’ participation in Lagos further strengthened Uganda’s profile in African student aquatics. The experience of competing at the continental level, in a different country and environment, also proved invaluable in the development of the club’s younger athletes.
• All 10 Editions of the Uganda Aquatics National Championships: Perhaps the most quietly impressive statistic in the Mak Sharks’ record is their unbroken run of participation in every single edition of the Uganda Aquatics National Championships since its inception. Ten editions. Ten appearances. Not once has the club failed to show up, compete, and make their presence felt at the national stage. It is a record of consistency that few clubs in any sport can match, and it speaks to the organisational discipline and deep commitment to competition that defines the Mak Sharks.
• Numerous Regional and National Competitions: Beyond the headline events, the Mak Sharks have been regular participants in a wide range of local and regional competitions, steadily building a winning tradition and accumulating the kind of competitive experience that cannot be taught in training alone. Every race, every competition, every challenge has added another layer to the club’s identity.

This breadth of competition, spanning local club meets, national championships, continental games, and global university events, speaks to the ambition and reach of a club that has never been content to simply participate. The Mak Sharks compete to win, and they do so with growing regularity and increasing confidence on every stage they step onto.

Beyond the Pool: Impact on Ugandan Aquatics

The influence of the Mak Sharks extends far beyond their trophy cabinet. By consistently competing at national and international levels, the club has helped raise the standard of aquatic sport in Uganda as a whole. Their presence at national championships pushes other clubs to elevate their game, and their representation at international events shines a spotlight on Uganda as a country with genuine competitive depth in aquatics.

The club also plays an important role in inspiring the next generation of Ugandan swimmers. For a young person growing up in Kampala or elsewhere in Uganda who dreams of competing internationally, seeing athletes from Makerere University represent their country at the World University FISU Games or the All Africa FASU Games is proof that those dreams are achievable. The Mak Sharks are not just winning competitions; they are building a culture of aspiration around aquatic sport in Uganda.

At the university level, the club serves as a powerful reminder of what student athletes can achieve when they are given the right environment, the right support, and the right encouragement. Makerere University‘s investment in its aquatic program, humble as the pool’s origins may be, has paid dividends that go well beyond medals and trophies. It has produced disciplined, driven individuals who carry the values of the sport with them long after they leave the university.

Looking Ahead: A Pool of Potential

With a strong foundation built over more than a decade of competitive swimming, the Mak Sharks show no signs of slowing down. Their pool, the very same that has graced the Makerere campus since the late 1950s, continues to be the cradle of champions, shaping the next generation of Ugandan aquatic talent one stroke at a time. Plans for continued growth in the squad, deeper participation in regional competitions, and sustained excellence at the national level are all firmly on the club’s agenda.

As defending champions in both water polo and the AUUS Games, the target on their backs only grows larger with each passing season. Rival clubs and university teams are watching closely, studying the Mak Sharks’ methods and looking for any opening they can find. But for a club that has competed in every edition of the national championships, stood toe to toe with university teams from across Africa, and represented Uganda on the world stage in Germany, pressure is nothing new.

The Mak Sharks have built something special on Makerere Hill. They have taken an old pool and filled it with new dreams, new ambitions, and new champions. And as the club looks ahead to the next chapter in its journey, one thing is certain: the Sharks are not done yet. They are still hungry, still training, and still diving in.

For Ugandan aquatics, for Makerere University, and for every young swimmer who has ever stood at the edge of that pool and imagined greatness, the Mak Sharks are proof that the water holds no limits.

Acknowledgements

The Mak Sharks would like to extend their sincere gratitude to the Makerere University Sports and Games Union, led by Mr. Brian Miiro, for the unwavering support and assistance rendered to the club. The Sports and Games Union has been a consistent pillar behind the Mak Sharks’ journey, providing the institutional backing and encouragement that has made so much of the club’s success possible. We are deeply grateful for their continued partnership, and we look forward to achieving even greater milestones together.

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The Writer is a Volunteer in the Public Relations Office, Makerere University and the Mak Sharks PRO