USPA, Rwenzori crown young stars

May 27, 2013

THE awards were delayed from early this year when the rest were crowned the Nile Special USPA Award because they are minors

By Swalley Kenyi 

UGANDA Sports Press Association (USPA) has crowned the last batch of its annual award winners for the year 2012.

The winners including female Table Tennis player Ludiya Natunga, male Badminton player Daniel Mihigo, female Chess player Phiona Mutesi, female cricketer Mary Nalule, swimmer Tendo Mukalazi and Motocross rider Fortune Ssentamu were handed their awards at Sheraton Kampala Hotel this afternoon.

The awards were delayed from early this year when the rest were crowned the Nile Special USPA Award because they are minors.

"Nile Breweries have a very strict policy on their brand vis-à-vis the age bracket that consumes beer. It is for this reason that all U-18 USPA personalities will be handed the Rwenzori award," USPA president Mark Namanya said.

Natunga, 17, won the award for the table tennis player of the year for winning majority of the medals in the 2012 season while Mihigo won his award after dominating the men’s Badminton season.

Mutesi, 16, won the female Chess Player of the year award for various achievements in the year including winning the National Junior Chess Championship and attaining Candidate Master status.

Female Cricketer of the Year Mary Nalule, 15, made her mark with excellent performances at the Africa Women T-20 and also helped Charity win the Mehta Cricket League.

“It (Rwenzori USPA award) gives me a challenge to go out there and perform even better. I want to win more titles,” Nalule said.

With 15 gold medals from three events in 2012, ten-year old swimmer of the year Tendo Mukalazi was inevitably named Rwenzori USPA swimmer of the year.

The Dolphins Swimming Cub member was among a group of junior swimmers who held the mantle for the country in 2012 and is very excited about being recognised by USPA.

“I want to win this award again” is all Tendo, who was flanked at the crowning ceremony by his younger sister Kirabo Namutebi, who challenged him for the same could say.

Ssentamu, the Rwenzori USPA Motocross rider of the year, won gold and silver medals for Uganda in the FIM-East and Central Africa Motocross Championship and the FIM Africa Championship respectively, on top of winning the national championship.

London Olympic gold medallist Stephen Kiprotich is the reigning Nile Special USPA sports personality of the year 2012. 

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});