Uganda Table Tennis Association held its finals for the commonwealth table tennis trial games where they selected the best eight (4 in the mens category and 4 in the ladies).
The function held at lugogo indoor arena was graced by National Council of Sports boss Dr. Donald Rukare and the NCS General Secretary Dr. Bernard Patrick Ogwel.
A team of four ladies including Ritah Nakhumitsa, Nangonzi Parvin, Seera Florence and Ludia Natunga together with four men that is Mbabazi Samuel Ankunda, Napookoli Philip, Achuma Benjamin and Miiro Diouf are now set to represent Uganda at the 2022 Commonwealth qualifier games in India in late February as well as in Oman in early March.
In the ladies category, Uganda stands higher chances of qualifying to Birmingham as they are ranked number one on the continent although with a stiff competition from Cameroon in the second position.
For the men, they will have to compete with the big boys on the continent that are ahead of them that is Ghana, South Africa and Kenya
The Federation president Robert Jaggwe says they now have Uganda’s cream: “We had the finals of the commonwealth table tennis trials that started in december 2021 in a round robin format. We now have the top 4 in both Men and Women categories and we now have Uganda’s cream.”
They now turn the focus to polish those that have made it.
“We want the players to enter camp as soon as possible for them to compete favourably. Because most of them are in school for now we will plan for training at their schools before putting them in camp.
“Table tennis has been suffering from poor preparation, lack of resources and commitiment and I have no doubt that our future is clear.”
National Council of Sports has committed to support the young lads fulfill their dream of representing Uganda at the fourthcoming commonwealth games.
“We are very happy for the Table Tennis Federation and we look forward to supporting these players to make them qualify to Birmingham games,” NCS boss Dr Donald Rukare.
“We can only do better to invest in these young ones for them to succeed in their pathways. As NCS we believe all those 8 that have qualified together with their coaches will be supported to go to India and Oman and the two tournaments can shape them for the commonwealth games.”
In the last commonwealth games in 2018 in Australia, Uganda was represented by two table tennis players ie Ronald Nyaika in the mens category who lost Northern Ireland’s Ashley Robinson at the round of 64 and Halima Namboozo in the ladies category who lost to Malaysia’ Alice Chang also at the round of 64.
