Kickboxing federation boasts about a successful 2014 season
Dec 16, 2014
Uganda Kickboxing Federation (UKF) has been praised for being one of the first compliant sports bodies to the new regulations by government through the National Council of Sports (NCS) that had a deadline of April this year.
By Silvano Kibuuka
Uganda Kickboxing Federation (UKF) has been praised for being one of the first compliant sports bodies to the new regulations by government through the National Council of Sports (NCS) that had a deadline of April this year.
This was announced by the NCS General Secretary Jasper Aligawesa, a sign that the martial arts sport has scored some success in the year.
UKF governs both the amateur and professional wings of the sport.
On the amateur side, the body ran a successful national league that ended on December 9 at Lugogo’s MTN Arena.
High competition
The league has seen an expansion from the 10 clubs that participated last year to 14 this year. Prisons, City Muscle Flex, Kampala University Luwero and Gaba Kickboxing Academy were the new entrants.
Prisons Kickboxing Club made a mark by lifting the trophy on their debut in the league, previously dominated by the UPDF and Pentagon.
UPDF had won the event five years in a row. In 2013, they drew with Pentagon and were forced to share the silverware when darkness
prevailed during the sudden death determinant game.
This year competition has been higher between the clubs with Prisons edging the runner up by just a point.
UPDF and Pentagon again drew for the second place at 54 points each.
The Professional side
The biggest success is Uganda being seeded the Number One country in Africa as far as developing the sport is concerned, by the World Kickboxing Federation.
This is reflected by the number of fighters Uganda has compared to other countries.
Activity has gone up with new titles introduced and the sport is no longer a one-man show (Moses Golola).
New national title holders include Sharif Bukenya who beat John Tumukunde of UPDF, Abu Kikenwa who beat Shakur Bwete and Patricia Apolot who beat Jackie Nassimbwa for the ladies accolade.
Before, these fighters would become national champions minus the belts.
Uganda sent two fighters, Shakur Mubiru and Dan Okiror for the first Asian Martial Arts World Championship in Nepal where they both reached the semi finals. Two intercontinental title fights were held this year where Umar Semata won the Muaythy lightweight title from Abdallah Hossein Mando of Egypt.
However Moses Golola lost the middleweight intercontinental title to American Richard Abraham.
President’s message
“The year has been successful to us. Other than being recognized by the NCS, we have had a good competitive league and now we want to put a new national amateur team into place,” noted federation president Hassan Sekirime.
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