Sarah Makanga dominates King of the Board Darts Tournament

Female darter Sarah Makanga has declared herself ready to take on any challenge in 2025 after a stunning performance at the King of the Board Darts Tournament held in Komamboga over the weekend.

Representing Bank of Uganda, Makanga emerged as a double champion, going unbeaten in both the women’s and men’s categories during the two-day event. Her victories earned her a cock and a goat—traditional prizes symbolizing her dominance.

“Winning this tournament has given me the confidence to face any opponent in any competition,” Makanga said. “It’s hard to believe I beat all those top men, but I thank God for the strength and courage. I’ll continue using them as training partners as I prepare for the World Masters.”

In the women’s final, Makanga defeated rising star Isavella Agoro of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) 4–1 in a best-of-five match to claim the title of Queen of the Board. Agoro, the 2023 Uganda Open champion, had earlier beaten Maria Namuganyi 3–1 in the semi-finals. Namuganyi, who had a second chance in the double-elimination format, was again defeated by Makanga.

After clinching the women’s title, Makanga entered the men’s competition and shocked the field by defeating top male players en route to the final. She beat Jimmy Anecho, Saul Mukasa, and Andrew Emomeri 2–0 in the preliminary rounds, then overcame Isaac Passi 4–2 in the elimination stage.

In the semi-finals, she defeated 2023 Africa champion Job Odoi 5–2 in a best-of-nine match, before repeating the same scoreline against former national team captain Andrew Emomeri in the final.

The King of the Board Tournament served as a key warm-up event for players preparing for the upcoming East Africa Darts Championship and the Tanzania Open Darts Championship, scheduled for June 27–29 in Arusha.