Uganda Table Tennis Association is celebrating a rare feat with a decent showing by the national team at the 2025 table tennis festival that has climaxed in Lagos Nigeria with Uganda winning nine medals in what is arguably the best individual sport performance on the Continent in the recent past.
Uganda made a strong start at the Hopes Week and Challenge held at the Sir Molade Okoya Thomas Indoor Sports Hall in Lagos, Nigeria, by claiming both the boys’ and girls’ U-12 gold medals through Joseph Sebatindira and Patience Anyango, respectively.
The team went on to secure the girls’ U-15 team gold, courtesy of Jemimah Nakawala and Patience Anyango, at the ITTF Africa Youth Championship.
During that phase of the festival, Uganda also claimed a boys’ U-15 singles bronze through Sharif Nsereko and added a U-19 girls’ doubles silver, won by Jemimah Nakawala and Parvin Judith Nangonzi.
The mixed doubles pair of Shariff Nsereko and Patience Anyango also played immaculately and settled for under 15 mixed doubles bronze medal.
After the ITTF Africa Youth Championships, attention turned to the inaugural African Youth Cup in which Uganda has topped Africa.
Uganda entered the final day (Tuesday) of the Africa Youth Cup with all its players into the knockout stages. It ended the day with Gold and Silver in the boys under 15 cadet singles category in which Joseph Sebatindira beat compatriot Shariff Nsereko 3-0 (11-8,11-7,11-5).
In the girls under 15 cadet singles category, Jemimah Nakawala beat teammate Patience Anyango 3-0 in the quarter finals and added the scalp of Egyptian Thabet Farida in the semis to set up a final against Algerian Morice Tania that she lost 3-2.
Jemimah won the first two 11-5,11-7 but lost the next three 11-7,11-2,11-2 to settle for Silver.
The fortunes of Parvin Judith Nangonzi weren’t as bright on the final day after she lost her under 19 girls’ Singles to Nigerian Ojo Favour. Uganda’s team was of seven players including Ibrahim Mutesasira and Patra Nasirumbi under coaches Alvin Katumba and Tendo Balyewunya.
