July Winners:
•Basketball – Jannon Otto (Gazelles)
•Rugby – Arnold Atukunda (Pirates)
•Football – Fazila Ikwaput (Crested Cranes)
•Para-Badminton – Sarah Nazziwa
•Rally – Yassin Nasser & Ali Katumba
•Draughts – Flavia Kusiima
Gazelles Small Forward Jannon Otto was among winners at the Fortebet Real Stars Sports Awards.
The awards that recognized sports excellence from the concluded month of July, were held on Tuesday at Lazio Restaurant in Lugogo.
Otto was named the best basketball player of the month after her outstanding performance that helped Uganda finish seventh (Uganda’s best ever finish) at the 2023 FIBA Women’s Afrobasket in Kigali.
She scored 128 points in Uganda’s six games – finishing as the tournament top-scorer – averaging 21.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.
Otto who was also named in the best team of the tournament, commented: “Thank you Real Stars, this means a lot to me. I want to thank my teammates, coaches, FUBA, fans and everyone who made our journey at Afrobasket a success.”
She takes the accolade, beating nominees Jane Asinde (Gazelles) and Joel Rugette (Junior Silverbacks).
Other Winners…
Flavia Kusiima was named the best Draught player of the month after winning six medals in Zambia during the third African draughts64 championship and world cup event.
Kusiima got a Gold medal in Brazilian draughts, blitz during the African championship. She had silver medal in Pool checkers draughts and came 3rd in Russian draughts.
She was given the title WFM (women master of federation) by the International Draughts Federation (IDF).
She is the first lady in the history of Uganda to acquire such a title.
In the world cup event, Flavia was second in Brazilian draughts (silver medal), third in Pool checkers and third in Russian draughts.
She got medals in all the events involving women.
And she deservedly takes the award ahead of Dan Isabirye and Lilian Namujuzi.
Arnold Atukunda of Pirates was named the best Rugby player of the month after guiding his side to two National Sevens circuit wins in Jinja and Kitgum in the National Rugby 7s.
He collected 22 tries, making a total of 110 points and is the second try scorer.
The Moil Rally team of Yasin Nasser and Ali Katumba once a again took the best of Rally for a fifth appearance, and fourth time in a row.
The Crew won the EMC Moil Jinja Rally beating Ronald Ssebuguzi and Anthony Mugambwa who finished second.
Nasser and Katumba spent one hour, 21 minutes and 34 seconds on the road before winning.
And they beat nominees Ronald Ssebuguzi/Anthony Mugambwa and Ibrahim Lubega/Mustapha Kanakulya.
In Para-badminton, the award went to Sarah Nazziwa who won two bronze medals at the Uganda International Para Badminton that happened in Lugogo.
She went on to win two golds and one silver at the Para Africa Badminton still at the same venue.
She edged nominees Harriet Nakayima and Elizabeth Mwesigwa to the Real Star gong.
Forward Fazila Ikwaput took home the best Football player of the month after helping the Crested Cranes overcome Rwanda in the first round of the Olympic qualifier.
She was on scoresheet in Uganda 3-3 draw against the visitors in first round and she scored the lone goal that gave Uganda a 4-3 win on aggregate in the second leg in Kigali.
Ikwaput beat off competition from Stuart Kezaala (Ssingo) and Yusuf Mukwana (Buwekula) who compete in Masaza Cup.
The awards are sponsored by Fortebet and Jude Colour Solutions.
