Best of June Winners:
•Basketball – Sylvia Nantongo (Junior Gazelles)
•Football – Fazilah Ikwaput (Crested Cranes)
•Cricket – Simon Ssesazi (Cricket Cranes)
•Athletics – Rachael Chebet Zena
•Golf – Michael Alunga
Cricket Cranes opening batsman Simon Ssesazi was one of the five winners at the Fortebet Real Stars Awards on Tuesday.
Ssesazi was named the best Cricketer of the concluded month of June after his exploits at the concluded second leg of the World Challenge League B in Kampala.
He scored 202 runs as Uganda retained their top spot going into the third leg as they continue their long pursue for a place in the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup.
“Hard work pays, and it feels nice to be appreciated today,” he briefly told Journalists at the brief awards ceremony at Route 256 bar.
“This has come with a lot of effort, I thank the sponsors who have made it happen and I want to do more for the country.”
He beat teammate Ronak Patel and Victoria Pearls’ Kevin Awino.
He was good value for the accolade after posting three half-tons – He had 50 off 53 balls against Bermuda in a 8-wicket victory, another 50 off 41 against Jersey and an unbeaten 87 against Kenya.
Sylvia Nantongo was named the best basketball player after the St Mary’s Kitende form five student helped Uganda qualify for the 2022 FIBA U18 Afrobasket finals.
She was the top scorer and MVP at the U18 Zonal Qualifiers held at Lugogo where Uganda edged Rwanda and Tanzania to seal a lone ticket to Madagascar.
Nantongo was in a close contest with Junior Gazelles teammate Mariam Namukwaya and JKL Lady Dolphins’ Brenda Ekone.
CECAFA sensational Fazilah Ikwaput who scored in each of Crested Cranes’ five games as Uganda won their maiden regional title, was named the best footballer.
She beat teammates Hasifah Nassuna and Sandra Nabweteme who were also outstanding in Njeru.
Rachel Chebet Zena who won Uganda’s only medal (Silver) at the African Athletics Championships at the Cote d’Or National Sports Complex, St Pierre in Ivory Coast, in 10,000m in a time of 32:17:06 was named the best Athlete.
She takes the award ahead of Jacent Nyamahunge and Ronald Musagala.
Michael Alunga beat Godfrey Nsubuga and the duo of Joram Tumwine and Julius Borore to the best Golfer accolade.
Kenyan-based handicap 1 Ugandan amateur Michael Alunga receives the accolade after excelling at the Kenya Golf Union Chairman Prize Tournament.
The awards that recognize the best performers are an initiative of Isaac Mukasa and are sponsored by ForteBet and Jude Colour Solutions.
Tuesday’s Ceremony was graced by Uganda Athletics Federation President Dominic Otuchet who congratulated all winners and challenged them to remain focussed.
