Busingye, Alupo win beach volleyball title

Dec 09, 2014

Peace Busingye and Christine Alupo outplayed veterans Mercy Tabitha and Hafsa Nakalema in straight sets to lift their maiden regional trophy at the Castle Lite International Beach Volleyball Championship.

By Swalley Kenyi

Peace Busingye and Christine Alupo outplayed veterans Mercy Tabitha and Hafsa Nakalema in straight sets to lift their maiden regional trophy at the Castle Lite International Beach Volleyball Championship.


Busingye and Alupo had eliminated seed one Sharon Pajije and seed-four Irene Adeke 22-20, 21-13 at semi-finals before they beat Nakalema and Tabitha 2-0.

And after a five-year hunt for the same trophy, Nicholas Dheyongera and Emma Kato celebrated the achievement.

The success has even prompted youthful Kato to wonder whether or not he should retire from beach volleyball and concentrate on regular volleyball.

Kato and Dheyongera, who have competed in virtually all the editions since 2009 managed to deny Ambrose Okello and Dickens Otim their fourth trophies in the final of the 2014 championship 21-13, 21-15.

Kato and Dheyongera capitalised on their opponent's poor agility, less power and failure to blend to clinch the trophy that comes with a cash prize and gold medals.

Although Okello and Otim had successfully avoided Kato's traditional blazing attacks, they failed to exhaust fully-fit Dheyongera, who effectively punished them in equal measure.

"Unfortunately my partner (Kato) is thinking this should be his last beach volleyball competition. I'm still talking to him to change his mind but if I fail, I will be the loser because we have won because we had the commitment as a team," Dheyongera noted as they celebrated their victory at Lido beach.

When contacted Kato said that, "Yes, I have played this since 2009 and I'm thinking about retiring after this but it is not yet conclusive."

Kenyans and Rwandans also competed in the two day annual championship. The next edition is slated for December 2015.

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