- 2018 Nile Special National Pool Open Championship
- Men Final: Simon Lubulwa 3-9 Mansoor Bwanika
- Women Final: Ritah Nimusiima 8-4 Rashidah Mutesi
Mansoor “Muto” Bwanika and Ritah Nimusiima were encrypted into the history books of the Pool Association of Uganda (PAU) on the morning of Sunday, October 28, 2018.
Both Bwanika and Nimusiima clinched the men and women respective Nile Special National Pool Open Championships at the Lugogo Indoor Arena.
Ironically, the two players are both left handed and feature for the same club, CKI in the National Pool League.
Whereas Bwanika, 20, who is christened as “Muto” by the pool fraternity needed to overcome 7 male players right from round one (stage of 128 players) right to the final, 25-year-old Nimusiima defeated five other female players to win the gong.
Bwanika outsmarted Simon “The Computer” Lubulwa with a four frames difference, winning 8-4 in a one sided final graced by a capacity crowd that included the FUFA boss Moses Magogo.
Throughout the day long championship played on Championship Super League pool tables placed on the famous red carpet, Bwanika was unstoppable with aggression, precise direct shots spiced up by enticing draw backs.
“I had prepared well for this championship. Besides, I had the belief that I would perform well. Winning has been a big bonus. I thank my training partners, fellow players, coaches, advisers and fans who gave me the strength and confidence to go all the way,” Bwanika who qualified from Ntungamo attested after receiving his two trophies and the Toyota Altezza car keys.
Nimusiima, the top seeded female player was clinical, just like Bwanika.
She had the character, will power, physical and mental strength to last from the early Saturday morning session through to the wee-hours of Sunday morning.
“This is a great prize for me and my pool people. It is not for me alone. I thank God for this,” a tearful Nimusiima stated in her victory speech on the podium.
For the first time ever in the history of the National Pool Championships, the female category was included on the menu.
There were cash prizes for all the top 16 ranked male and female players.
Selected Results for Men:
Round of 16:
- Fahad Ssewankambo 6- 4 Rogers Bogere
- Allan Nsubuga 5-6 Humphrey Nsubuga
- Simon “The Computer” Lubulwa 4–2 Jonan “Joker” Turigye (Turigye forfeited the game after six frames)
- Joseph Kasozi 6-2 Ramadhan Gitta
- Fredrick Mubiru 4-6 Hazali “Hazard” Lukomwa
- Hakim Kimara 6-2 Samuel Ecumu
- Joram Nabaasa 2-6 Ivan Opwonya
- Mansoor Bwanika 6-3 Alfred Gumikiriza
Quarter final:
- Mansoor Bwanika 7-3 Ivan Opwonya
- Hazali Lukomwa 7-1 Hakim Kimara
- Simon Lubulwa 7-0 Joseph Kasozi
- Fahad Ssewankambo 6-7 Humphrey Nsubuga
Semi-finals:
- Mansoor Bwanika 8-4 Hazali Lukomwa
- Simon Lubulwa 8-6 Humphrey Nsubuga
Third Place:
- Hazali Lukomwa 3-7 Humphrey Nsubuga
Men Finals:
- Simon Lubulwa 3-9 Mansoor Bwanika