Mixed start for Uganda at the Commonwealth Games

Apr 05, 2018

Elisha Tibatemwa Ekirikubinza sets a new national record in the men's 50m butterfly having clocked 27.17 seconds to come second in heat one

It was a mixed start for Team Uganda on the Gold Coast, with some losses and wins on day one of the commonwealth games.

Weightlifting
Julius Ssekitoleko kicked off the competition for Uganda in the men's 56kg weightlifting at the Carrara Sports Arena 1 on Thursday April 5, 2018.

But he finished in a distant 10th position. Ssekitoleko failed his first two snatch attempts and failed his third clean jerk attempt only lifting a total 158 kilogrammes (67 kg in snatch and 91 kg in clean and jerk).

Muhammad Azroy Hazalwa Izhar Ahmad from Malaysia clinched Gold lifting a total 261kg (117 kg in snatch and 144 kg in clean and jerk) a commonwealth games.

The silver went to P Gururaja from India for lifting a total 249kg (111 kg in snatch and 138 kg in clean and jerk) and Chaturanga LakmaL of Sri Lanka took bronze for lifting 248kg (114 kg in snatch and 144 kg in clean and jerk) in the 56kg category.

Other African athletes in this category were Kgotla Kgaswane of Botswana and Benjamin Ochoma from Kenya.

Kgaswane finished 11th for lifting 154kg (68 kg in snatch and 86 kg in clean and jerk) and to complete the table was Kenya's Benjamin Ochoma who lifted 138kg (62 kg in snatch and 76 kg in clean and jerk).

Both weightlifters from Botswana and Kenya failed their third clean jerk attempt just like Ssekitoleko.

Swimming
Elisha Tibatemwa Ekirikubinza sets a new national record in the men's 50m butterfly having clocked 27.17 seconds to come second in heat one of the competitions at the Optus Aquatic Centre.

He breaks Arnold Kisulo 28.61 seconds record set on July 24, 2014 in the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, United Kingdom.

Perry Sam from New Zealand came first in this heat having finished with a time of 24.23 seconds he qualified for the finals tomorrow having clocked 23.99 seconds in the semi-final heats a new personal best. Ekirikubinza did not make the finals.

Squash
In squash Ian Rukunya was first to compete for Uganda in the men's singles Round of 64 and easily saw off Stephen Henry of Fiji 3-0 at the Oxenford Studios, Squash Court 6.

In the mixed team play that followed Uganda lost 5-0 to England at the Carrara Sports Arena 2 Court 2.

Michael Kawooya then went ahead to register another win in squash for Uganda in the men's singles Round of 64 3-0 over Papau New Guineas' Madako Junior Suari.

But this was followed by Ian Rukunya losing his second game of the competition. He lost 0-3 to England's Nick Matthew in the men's singles Round of 32.

Kawooya was also to lose by the same margin to England's Daryl Selby in the men's singles Round of 32 at the Oxenford Studios, Squash Court 5.

Netball
Despite putting on a spirited display, Uganda's netball team led by captain Peace Proscovia lost their first game to New Zealand 64-51.
But they were no pushover New Zealand ranked second in the world had to work extra hard to bag the win against Uganda ranked seventh in the world netball rankings.

England leads Pool B to which Uganda belongs with two points, followed by New Zealand also with two points.

Uganda is in third place, Scotland in fourth, Mali and Wales are fifth and sixth respectively. Uganda will face Malawi next on Saturday.

Boxing
Kavuma Ssemujju closed day one on a losing end just like it started. He lost to England's Luke McCormack on a decision of 5 : 0 in the men's 64kg round of 32 at the Oxenford Studios.

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