In all circumstances, sport thrieves and manuveurs at different wave-lengths.
Sports personalities diligent serve the fraternity in all weather situations; hot, cold, moderate and the extremes under good and average health conditions.
At the on-going 13th African Games in Ghana, the temperatures are half way the mid-boiling point and virtually all athletes have had adverse effects.
As Uganda’s last weightlifter Aisha Namataka readied herself to compete in the 87kg category on Thursday, 14th March 2024, she suffered a bout of malaria and high blood pressure.
She was swiftly attended to by the medical team and hospitalized for a couple of hours.
Given her brevity, she defied all the odds and competed in the competitive 87 kg cluster under the snatch as well as clean and jerk events.
Namataka did not want to record a no-show as she boldly took on the continent’s finest female weightlifters from Egypt (Fatma Mahmoud Sadek), Nigeria (Mary Taiwo Osijo) and Tunisian Zeineb Naoui.
In the clean and jerk category, Namataka lifted 67 kg, faltered in the 75 weight lift and was successful in the third attempt at the 67 kg.
Osijo from Nigeria won gold with 120 kg, 126 kg and 128 kg lifts ahead of Egyptian Sadek with 121 kg, 127 kg (no lift) and 127 kg.
Tunisian Zeineb won bronze with 90 kg and 95 kg (no lift).
“I gave my best despite the fact that I was not in the best health to compete. The tournament was a very good learning point for me as a person. I will not remain the same” Namataka remarked.
For the snatch competition, Namataka also fourth with 50 kg, 55 kg (no lift) and 55 kg.
Egyptian Sadek won with 96 kg, 102 kg and 104 kg. Nigeria’s Osijo took silver with 95 kg, 101 kg and 103 kg.
Tunisian Zeineb managed to take bronze with 70 kg, 81 kg and 84 kg.
Uganda won three medals from weightlifting, all courtesy of Davis Niyiyota.
The other two weightlifters; Steven Ojede and Lydia Nakidde also walked home empty handed, like Namataka but with their heads up because they surpassed their personal best weights.