What to expect from team Uganda

There will be a lot at stake when the curtains are drawn at the 29th edition of the World University Games in Taipei City in two weeks' time. 

As the Association of Uganda University sports (AUUS) officials are busy running around to secure funds for the traveling contingent, the 36 athletes selected for the games are sweating it out on the courts and tracks, trying to polish their skills.

Uganda has entered athletes in swimming, badminton, athletics, tennis and basketball (Ladies). All the teams are under the watchful eyes of highly competent coaches the country has ever produced.

Coaches: Faustino Kiwa (Athletics), Badminton (Ivan Karimunda) Swimming (individual training), Tennis (Individual training), Basketball (Nick Natuhereza).

Swimming: Avice Meya and Arthur Ssegwanyi will have a lot on their hands in a sport that hasn't yielded much in terms of medals for the country at international level. However, the experience of Meya who recently set a national record (33.05) in the 50m butterfly at the FINA World Swimming Championships in Budapest, Hungary will be one to watch.

Basketball:  This will be outing number two for a team sport from Uganda at these games; the level of basketball played at this level can only be compared to what we see in the NBA. Small forwards Zainah Lokwameri and Ekon Brenda are two players with the experience to lead Uganda to a reasonable position after a poor show in the last games.

Athletics: Dorcus Ajok currently at the World championships in London will be a key figure to watch. The Ndejje University student won gold in the 1500m at the last games in South Korea in 2015.

200m and 400m sprinters Shida Leni and Pius Adome will be other prospects after posting convincing times in Gwangju.

Badminton: Besides Aisha Nakiyemba the latest entrant on the youthful side the others, Herbert Ebayo, Yakoub Musisi, Shamim Bangi and Daniel Mihigo are not new to this level of competition. This will probably be the last World University games for female seed one Shamim Bangi which the Ndejje University student won't take lightly.

Two-thirds of the athletes who will be taking part in these games represented Uganda at the last edition in Gwangju, South Korea the experience gained will be very important in their quest for medals in Taipei. The team that will be led by head of delegation Paul Mark Kayongo will fly out on August 17.