Uganda’s Table Tennis (T.T) national team player Shanita Namaala, 17, is eager to represent her country at the International Schools’ Games in Normandy city, France.
This will be her first ever international tournament since she started playing the indoor sport, about 7 years ago.
The first born in the family of seven hails from a sporting family as she is Namaala is a biological sister to Uganda’s current Table Tennis male seed two Martin Phillip Napookoli.
She is keen to remain focused with dedicated hours in training to better her game.
“I am humbled to be a Table Tennis player. This is a sport that my family has encouraged us to play and it is shaping our lives. I yearn to keep training hard so that I become a better Table Tennis player” Namaala says.
Background:
Namaala is nick-named Morgan. She was born on 5th June 2005 to Bosco Mabirizi and Benitah Nakanwagi in Mulago, a suburb of Kampala city.
She had her elementary education at renown Table Tennis hub, Nakasero Primary School in Kampala where he career commenced in P3.
Since Primary four, she has been on a bursary education scheme and now an S.3 student at Mbogo High School.
Her longtime coach Mary Musoke, also the Table Tennis Tutor at Nakasero Primary School is also her local role model alongside Mima Ito, a Japanese national who won gold at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Namaala’s best stroke whilst in action is the forehand as she prefers that spinning ball as her game rotates around short pips on her backhand, fast flat smashes on the forehand, and a unique serve.
Detailed profile:
- Full Names: Shanita Namaala
- Nick-name: Morgan
- Date of Birth: 5th June 2005
- Parents: Bosco Mabirizi & Benitah Nakanwagi
- Place of Birth: Mulago, Kampala
- Education: Nakasero Primary School, Kampala (P1-P7), Mbogo High School (Currently in S3)
- Table Tennis Debut: During P.3 class
- Role Models: Mary Musoke (Table Tennis Tutor, Nakasero Primary School), Mima Ito (Japanese)
- Best Stroke: Forehand, Spinning