Ugandan players have a chance to play in the World Cup Woodball semi-finals on Tuesday at the ongoing 6th edition of the wood ball world cup in Luneng Sanya sports Bay in China. The impressive Ugandan players all finished among the top 50 out of 220 entrants from China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Iran, Singapore, Vietnam, Chinese Taipei, Nepal, Mongolia and Korea.
After falling out in the fairway competition on Sunday, team Uganda came back guns blazing in the Chinese Open and the stroke competition of the world cup. Flavia Navubya, is leading the country’s team table in 26th position overall with 136 strokes.
She is closely being followed by Ndejje University’s Joan Makoova in 30th position with 137 strokes, Lilian Zawedde in 34th with 139 strokes, Sophie Namuddu of Ndejje club in 38th with 148 strokes. Ndejje University’s Danilah Nabukalu in 42nd place with 168 strokes while Bank of Uganda’s Agnes Apio and Nagaba Charity of Ndejje University were both tide in 45th position with 170 strokes.
The country was represented by ten men who include Ndejje University’s Onesmus Atamba in 23rd position with 131 strokes from 24 gates, Joel Adupa from Ndejje University in 26th place with 136, Bruno Bbosa in 28th position with 140 strokes, Kawumba Ronald in 30th position with 142 strokes.
Bukenya Godfrey from St. Joseph’s tech. Institute in 31st position with 144 strokes while Musisi El Mohammad from Entebbe club and the pair of William Osire and Godwin Senyondo from Bank of Uganda are all tight in the 33rd position with 145 strokes.
In the Chinese open singles all entrants from Uganda in the women and Men categories qualified for the quarter-finals. By press time the women’s doubles of the stroke competition was going on as the pair of Lillian Zawedde and Nantege Shamsa was battling Chinese Taipei’s pair of Lee Shu Hun and Wu Chin Han in 12 gates.
While in the Men’s doubles Musisi El Mohammed and Raymond Musasizi were up against Chinese pair of Wong Sin Kai and Ko Yun Tao in 12 gates. The competition continues tomorrow(Wednesday) with the Men and Women stroke singles final, Fairway mixed doubles final before the award ceremony in the afternoon.
Playing under flood lights
Meanwhile, the championship has been marred by confusion after players complained about the use of flood lights something most players haven’t been used to.
Ugandan players were the most affected after most of them were had saying the fairway demarcations were hard to identify in the night. Uganda is the lone representative from Africa after both Kenya and Tanzania failed to turn up.
Chinese umpires skirmishing with English
Ugandans have had to deal with Chinese officials and umpires who have limited knowledge in English. The Umpires who went through weeks of training about the new rules of wood ball before the world cup started have been allotted interpreters in case there is any query by the players.
The International wood ball federation has voted Korea as the next host of the 7th edition of the 2016 wood ball world cup; the announcement was made at the general assembly held last evening.
