Ochan shines in Jo’burg meets

By Norman Katende UGANDA’s Patrick Ochan overcame odds to win the Africa junior U-14 qualifying championship in Johannesburg South Africa.The 13-year-old put up a good fight in the two tournaments that were held last week. He beat Zambia’s Mbazima Theita and Kenya’s Christian Vituli before downing Sudan’s Muhamood Assakis 6-4, 6-3 in the final of the first tournament.He again met Vituli in the second tournament final and beat him 6-2, 6-2.Patrick Mawa on his part failed to shine in the boy’s U-16 category, as he lost in the quarterfinals to Zambia’s Thembe Ngwira (6-1, 6-1) in the first tournament. He also lost to Lesotho’s Mokhtli Kulehi (6-1, 6-2) at the same stage in the second tournament.Uganda had no representative in the U-14 girls, as Sandra Kasumba failed to secure her travel documents in time.U-16 Janet Namutebi lost to Nana Senetra of Lesotho (6-1, 6-1) in the quarterfinals of the first tournament. She met the same girl in the semifinal of the second tournament and still lost 6-3, 2-6, 6-3. In the doubles, Namutebi paired with Sudanese Sonic Muhammad. They beat Seychelles Lambrache Sylivia/ Fatim Kante 6-4, 6-3 in quarters, Kenya’s Wanjiku Ngaruiya/ Caroline Oduor 6-1, 6-2 in the semifinal but lost to Mauritius Lo Tracy and Lee Sik Yee in the finals.Uganda was ranked 4th behind Kenya, Mauritius and Lesotho out of 15 countries that competed.