Badminton: Youngster Kasirye qualifies for All Africa Games
Jan 28, 2019
The 17-year-old Brian Kasirye qualified as the best performer at the national badminton trials after he finished unbeaten in 12 matches on Sunday at the Indoor arena, Lugogo in Kampala.
Badminton national trials
Results
Men
Brian Kasirye 12wins
Daniel Mihigo 10
Davis Ssenono 9
Alex Babu 8
Israel Wanagalya 8
Women
Gladys Mbabazi 9
Mable Namakoye 7
Husina Kobugabe 7
Brenda Awori 6
Betty Apio 5
Promising youngster Brian Kasirye has raised his expectations ahead of the All Africa Games slated for August in Morocco.
The 17-year-old Brian Kasirye qualified as the best performer at the national badminton trials after he finished unbeaten in 12 matches on Sunday at the Indoor arena, Lugogo in Kampala.
"I have always dreamt of participating at the All Africa games and I had to fight very hard to be able to make it on the team," he stated.
The Kakungulu Memorial School, senior-six student beat among others Daniel Mihigo 21-12/21-12, Fred Kirabo (21-12/21-18), Davis Ssenono (21-16/21-18), Israel Wanagalya (22-20/21-16) and Muzafaru Lubega 21-10/21-12 at the two-day event to book Uganda's first slot on the national team.
He finished with two wins better than Mihigo with 10wins, Ssenono (9wins), while Alex Babu and Wanagalya tied at eight wins each to take up the other four slots on the men's team.
However, in the women's team, the absence of Uganda's seed-one Shamim Bangi and seed-two Aisha Nakiyemba at the trials has opened doors for new faces to make it to the national team.
The pair was among the nine players that Uganda Badminton Association (UBA) summoned to the women's team, but did not turn up.
"We did not get any formal communication as to why they didn't come for the trials and yet all those who were summoned were reminded earlier," said UBA's CEO Simon Mugabi.
"So we have to give those players who made it at the trials the chance to be on the national team. We are not going to favour any players."
Those who made it on the women's team include, Gladys Mbabazi, Mable Namakoye, Husina Kobugabe, Brenda Awori, and Betty Apio.