Ugandan athletes struggle to find proper footing in China

Aug 18, 2014

Uganda had a false start on day one of the 2nd Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing China.

By Teddy Nakanjakko Nanjing, China

Badminton

Daniel Ssebunya (UGA) 0-2 K. Tsuneyama

Table Tennis

Florence Seera (UGA) 0-3 Kristyna Stefcova
Seera (UGA) 0-3 Gremlis Arvelo

Rowing

6. Constance Mbambu 4:53.18

Uganda had a false start on day one of the 2nd Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing China.

Constance Mbambu was the first to falter in the junior women single sculls at the Nanjing Rowing and Canoeing School.

Mbambu, featuring in heat two, finished sixth in the 1000m race in a time of 4:53.18. The race was won by Alejandra Alonso from Paraguay in a time of 3:52.60.

In badminton, team captain Daniel Ssebunya lost his Group E opening game to Japanese Kanta Tsuneyama 0-2 (21-3, 21-5). Ssebunya’s hopes of advancing to the next round, hinge on today’s match gainst Spaniard Luis Enrique which he must win.

At the Wutaishan Gymnasium it was not well for Ugandan table tennis player Florence Seera who was making her debut at international level.

In her first game with Kristyna Stefcova from the Czech Republic Seera looked nervous all through. She looked more composed in the second round but the 17-year-old could not salvage the game.She lost 3-0 (11-4, 11-9, 11-3).

When it got to the second game against Gremlis Arvelo from Venezuela, the story was the same for Seera who lost 3-0 which her coach Jude Mutete attributed to lack of experience and the absence of facilities back home.

“Seera tried her best bearing in mind that this was her first time to compete at such a level. She had a good game and playing against such experienced players was a learning point for her,” Mutete said. Seera plays seed one Kem Doo Hoi from Hong Kong on Monday.

Athletics starts on Wednesday with Uganda’s Janat Chemusto in action in the 3000m.

The games were opened on Saturday by the Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Nanjing Sports Centre Stadium. Uganda is represented by six athletes from four disciplines; badminton (1), table tennis (1), rowing (1) and athletics (3).