U19 team earn praise at All Africa U19 Badminton Championship

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U19 team earn praise at All Africa U19 Badminton Championship
U19 team earn praise at All Africa U19 Badminton Championship

Africa-PressZimbabwe. Uganda finished third with four bronze medals at the 10-team championship.

Abed Musa Bukenya, Tracy Naluwooza, Fadilah Shamika, Expedito Emudu, Guna Kusal Dhulupudi , Paul Makande, Abdul Ssempiri

Uganda posted their best ever showing at the All Africa U19 Badminton Championship after emerging third overall at the 10-team tournament held in Benin.

The team of seven, won one team Bronze, a women singles Bronze, as well as similar medals in the men’s doubles and Women’s doubles.

National Council of Sports General Secretary Bernard Ogwel believes the showing owed to the organisation of the players and the Uganda Badminton Association (UBA).

“It is one of the organised associations. In fact we do not demand any report from UBA. They always provide accountability and know how to handle their challenges instead of running to social media,” Ogwel said at the team’s welcome luncheon on Wednesday afternoon.

The team under the tutelage of Ronald Lule despite not training prior to departure had Tracy Naluwooza winning bronze in the ladies Singles.

She also paired with Fadilah Shamikah to claim another bronze in the ladies doubles while Emuddu Expeditor/Paul Makande also scooped another medal in the men’s doubles.

Their coach Lule meanwhile expressed satisfaction with their performance with this being the first time the team returned with medals at this level.

“The performance was good, given the fact that we were underrated, and not seeded in the tournament but still managed to come out of the groups losing only to the eventual winner of the tournament 3-2. The players gave it all they had but it was just not meant to be. Paul Makande played the tournament winner from South Africa and he was the only player who took a game from him but lost the decider (2-1),” Lule explained.

UBA now turn their attention to the All Africa Senior Badminton Championship, that will be hosted next month(21-28) and the Uganda Para-International Tournament thereafter.

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