Glasgow 2014: Ugandan boxers make comeback

By James Bakama in Glasgow
 
Today

Round of 16, Flyweight
R. Semitala v A. Rathnagake(S.Lanka)
L/heavy
S. Geko v Y. Aska (Antigua)

Monday

Bantam
B. Nasir v P. Polino (Tanzania)
L/fly
F. Juma v B. Lumbwe(Zambia)
 
It was a mixture of joy and disappointment as Ugandan boxers finally returned to the Commonwealth Games.

Joy came with a win as super heavyweight Mike  Sekabembe won Uganda’s opening bout in Glasgow, the country’s first fight at the games since 2006 Melbourne edition.

The return however had a disappointing side as Uganda failed to provide qualified corner men, a role that was for the first time in Ugandan boxing history given to a foreign nation.

World amateur boxing body AIBA states that only coaches that have attained its three-star status can second fighters at major international competitions.

Uganda Boxing Federation president Kenneth Gimugu, who despite travelling as manager, had to follow his fighter from the stands just like coach Dick Katende as Kenyan coaches took charge,  attributed the anomaly to chaos in local  boxing.

Sekabembe (in blue) won Uganda’s opening bout in Glasgow

“The sport has for years been torn in administrative wrangles and couldn’t train human resource,” he explained.

“We have as a result convinced a number of African neighbours into standing in as our cornermen,”  Gimugu added.

Sekabembe was however not affected  by the shortcomming as he went on to win his fight by a split points decision.

He beat Emmanuel Anderson of Barbados 30-27 at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Center.

He returns to action at the quarter-finals on Tuesday against Ghana’s Haruna Usumanu.

Other results: Weightlifting-men’s 62kg category- Charles Sekyaaya lifted 255kg to finish tenth in a competition won by Dimitris Minasidis of Cyprus.

T/tennis(men’s team event)

Thursday- Scotland 3 Uganda 0, Tanzania 0 Uganda 3.

Friday- Canada 3 Uganda 0, Uganda 3 Zambia 0

Badminton- Mixed team group play-

Thursday- Kenya 2 Uganda 3, India 5 Uganda 0. Friday- Uganda 2 Ghana 3

Swimming-Women’s 50m freestyle-

Jamila Lunkuse won heat 4 in 27.43 seconds but couldn’t make the semi-final.

 Men’s 100m breaststroke

Joshua Ekirikubinza fnished seventh in 1:16:49 in a race won by Zambia’s Ralph Goveia in 1:07:54.