Uganda makes slow start in Glasgow

Jul 24, 2014

SAVE for badminton where Uganda beat Kenya to keep alive its chances of advancing, the country’s swimmers, squash and table tennis players struggled at the opening stage

By James Bakama

Commonwealth Games (Day 2)

Boxing first round, s/heavy (Thursday, 3pm)

M. Sekabembe v E. Anderson (Barbados) 

UGANDA got off to a slow start in the Glasgow Games.

Save for badminton where Uganda beat Kenya to keep alive its chances of advancing, the country’s swimmers, squash and table tennis players struggled at the opening stage.

The badminton team led by Holland based Edwin Ekiring beat neighbours Kenya 3-2 in the opening game of the mixed team events.

They were due to meet top seed India last night in their second match where a win would give  them a quarter-final place.

Ekiring led by example beating Victor Munga 21-17, 21-7 in the singles before partnering with Wilson Tukire to beat Patrick Mbogo and Joseth Githu 21-17, 21-13 in the men’s doubles.

Tukire then paired with  Margaret Nankabirwa to win the mixed doubles 19-21, 21-14, 21-13. Uganda’s defeats came in the women’s events where Daisey Nakalyango lost to Mwethya Joseph 21-14, 21-15.

Nakalyango and Nankabirwa then lost to Mwethya Joseph and Lavina Martins 21-9, 21-7 as Uganda completed a 3-2 opening win in the opening match.

Team Uganda's captain Charles Sekyaya carried the national flag at the colourful opening ceremony. Photos by Mpalanyi Ssentongo

Table tennis got off to a poor start losing 3-0 to Scotland. The Sean Doherty and Craig Howiesen pair beat Gilton Chelibe and Kavin Mafabi 11-2, 11-4, 11-7.

Howiesen then showed no respect for veteran Paul Mutambuze beating him 11-2, 11-2, 11-6 before Gavin Rumigay outwitting Kevin Mafabi 11-6, 11-7, 11-1.

Uganda’s top squash seed Michael Kawooya started off on an impressive note beating Papua New Guinea’s Schubert Maketu 11-1, 11-5 and 11-5. But the going got tough at the next stage where Bermuda’s Franklin Micah beat Kawooya 3-2.

Swimmers Jamila Lunkuse and Arnold Kisulo improved on their personal best times but that was not enough to get them to the next stage.

Lunkuse was second in her 50m breast stroke heat in 34.62 seconds while Kisulo was fourth in the 50m butterfly in 28.61 secs and second in the 100m backstroke in 1:06:41. 

Meanwhile super heavyweight Mike Sekabembe will be the first Ugandan boxer in action. He takes on Bermuda’s Emmanuel Anderson in the first round as the boxing competition gets underway today.

Uganda’s other fighters Solomon Geko (l/heavy), Rogers Semitala (fly) got byes to the second round where they will be in action on Sunday. Light fly Fazil Juma and Nasir Bashir fight the following day at the same stage.

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