Fadilah Shamika makes history at the 2025 FISU World University Games

Event: Women’s Badminton Singles Round of 64
Stadium: Westernergie Sporthalle, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany 
Date: July 23, 2025

Fadilah Shamika Muhamed etched her name into the history books on Wednesday morning at Westernergie Sporthalle, becoming the first African and Ugandan female badminton player to reach the Round of 32 at the 2025 FISU World University Games.

A first-year student at Victoria University, Shamika made light work of Kazakhstan’s Aisha Zhumabel, securing a straight-sets victory (15-8, 15-10) in a fast-paced women’s singles Round of 64 showdown.

“I’m happy and very thankful,” she said after her win. “It was our first time playing on the stadium court, so that made it even more special. I made a few mistakes, but I kept reminding myself to stay calm and play like I always do.”

With the scoring format shortened to 15 points per game, quick thinking and mental focus were vital.

“It was instantly fast-paced—you barely have time to think. My strength was my defense. She's an aggressive player and didn’t expect me to hold up as well as I did,” Shamika explained.

Ivan Kamurinda, head coach of the Ugandan badminton team, praised Shamika's adaptability after a rough start in the first game.

“After the first interval, Shamika was trailing 8-2. The Kazakh player had her cornered. I encouraged her to make a few adjustments, and once she found her rhythm, the momentum shifted,” Kamurinda noted.

Shamika, who has already claimed 12 career medals (four gold, three silver, and five bronze), is set to face Turkey’s Tuycenur Korkmaz in the Round of 32 on July 24.

Before that, she’ll join forces with fellow Ugandan Kruthum Nalumansi in doubles action against Japan’s Imaizumi and Kobayashi. “Japan are quick and resilient, but matches like these are won with mental toughness,” Kamurinda added.

It was a contrasting day for Nalumansi, a second-year humanities student from Uganda Christian University, who fell 2-0 (15-5, 15-2) to Thailand’s top seed Thamonwan Nithitikrai.

“I’m disappointed—those weren’t the scores I was aiming for,” Nalumansi admitted. “I was slow, and my court recovery was off. The stadium lights got to me mentally. If I want to compete at this level, I need to work on my focus and movement.”

Despite the setback, Uganda’s hopes remain alive, with Shamika now flying the flag in both singles and doubles as she chases what could be her 13th career medal.

Will she go all the way? Only time will tell—but the nation is watching.