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The Uganda Sports Press Association (USPA) on Monday voted nine-year-old table tennis player Joseph Sebatindira as the sports personality of October having edged the Lady Rugby Cranes team by 15 votes. 

Sebatindira a Primary Four pupil who represents Nakasero Table Tennis Club, made Uganda proud by going unbeaten on his way to clinching the Under 11 title at the World Table Youth Tennis Contender Championships in Egypt. 

He also won the USPA Young Talent Promising Award which is reserved for players under 21 years. 

This was at the USPA monthly meeting held at the UOC offices at Lugogo where the excellent athletes for September and October were reviewed. 

“He was superb in a championship held in Africa for the first time and had countries like China, Belgium, Saudi Arabia, India, Lebanon, and others from Africa including Cameroon, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Rwanda and hosts Egypt. He was unranked and this was his first time to participate in a world championships competition,” noted USPA president Moses Al Sayed Lubega after the vote. 

The Lady Rugby Cranes finished third in the Africa Championships in Tunisia and qualified for the last global Olympic qualifiers due in France. 

Rugby Cranes soar 

On the other hand, the Rugby Cranes team won the September Nile Special–USPA accolade finishing with a bronze in the Africa qualifiers in Zimbabwe. 

They beat the Ludo Doves team by 185-165 votes where the badminton double pair of Husina Kobugabe and Gladys Mbabazi were recognised for winning gold at the Benin International. 

Athletes recognised for stellar performances in October included the Johnnie Walker Uganda Open Amateur Golf winner Godfrey Nsubuga, the 2023 ladies golf open and Entebbe NCBA golf winner Peace Kabasweka, the Lady Dolphins and City Oilers for winning the national basketball league, weightlifters Dan Tumukunde and Shabra Mutesi for winning gold medals in the Africa Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships in Egypt. 

USPA also selected Uganda Rugby Union (URU) for the sporting award of October while the team’s physiotherapist, Nelson Mayeku, won the sporting assist award. 

At the same sitting, Lubega announced that the body which brings together sports journalists in the country, will convene for its annual general assembly on November 25.