On the 8th of March 2024, athletes from all over the continent trouped to Ghana to partake in the 13th All-African Games. Athletes went with dreams of glory and grabbing the opportunity of partaking in the 2024 Olympics. Countries from all over the continent sent their representatives to participate in the numerous events to take place during the tournament.
Ugandan athletes were not also left out as they made their trip to Ghana, hoping to come back with a medal, and the Ugandan national anthem blasted over the speakers.
The 13th edition of the All African Games came to a successful conclusion on the 23rd of March without any major glitches. Having been delayed for a year from its proposed date of 2023, many expected some big-name athletes to not be in attendance. Since the tournament was so close to the 2024 Olympics, there were talks that some top names may be absent for fear of injuries. However, this was not the case as the tournament ticked all boxes, providing excitement and top-notch performances.
Stats and Numbers
Uganda went to the competition with a total of 217 athletes, 111 male and 106 female. These athletes did not fail to deliver coming home with 20 medals. A total of 4 golds, 6 silvers, and 10 bronzes saw them finish 13th on the medals table. Now that the competition concluded, it is time to review the performance of our athletes, especially the medal winners.
The country’s first gold medal at the tournament came in the badminton doubles event. Uganda’s badminton duo of Husinah Kobugabe and Gladys Mbabazi defeated the Algerian pair of Halla and Tanina to emerge victorious. As a whole badminton gave the great country of Uganda, three medals in total, all won by women. Husinah Kobugabe continued on her fine form and went on to win silver at the women’s badminton singles event. The last medal to come out from the women’s badminton singles event was a bronze medal won by Mohamed Rafi Fadilah.
Team Uganda’s progress on the court continued in the 3×3 basketball event where the U23s men’s team ended up with a bronze medal after defeating Togo. The countrymen continued on their exploits on the court, but this time on grass as the cricket team managed to clinch a bronze medal after easily dispatching the Kenyan team. From the court, the medals moved to the boxing ring, with the team amassing 3 bronze medals in the boxing event. Tumusiime Innocent, Murungi Kasim, and Semuddu Muzamir, all earned bronze medals in the men’s 48, 57, and 71 kg weight class respectively.
The rugby sevens event always offers Ugandan rugby players the opportunity to show their full strength, and how capable they are. Clearly, these players did not falter in showing that the country is heading on the right path when it comes to rugby. It was a clean sweep for the men’s and women’s teams both ending the tournament with gold medals. The men’s team defeated the Kenyans, 14-21, while the women’s team easily dispatched Madagascar 29-0. From the get-go, both the men’s and women’s rugby teams were firm contenders for the gold medal, and they didn’t disappoint. Undoubtedly, this success promises good things for the rugby national team in both genders.
For football, both the men’s and the women’s teams successfully represented their country. The men’s team was full of passion and determination, beating the tournament’s host nation in the finals. In a hardly contested final, the team was able to grind out a 1-0 victory to clinch gold. The women’s team also did their part, grinding out a bronze medal. It was a tightly contested third place match against Senegal which led to penalty shootouts after a nil-nil draw in regular time. The women were able to keep their composure in the shootout to clinch a bronze medal. To wager on some of these sporting events and various table and card games, visit any top casino online today and register.
Pressure of Expectations
A lot more was expected from the Athletics team but in the end, the team was only able to clinch 3 medals, 2 silvers, and 1 bronze. Chemutai Peruth finished second in the women’s 3000m steeplechase, while Nakaayi Halima also claimed a silver medal in the Women’s 800m track event. At the other side of the track, in the javelin event, Lalam Josephine threw her heart out to a distance of 57.01 meters earning her a bronze medal. This distance also earned her the Ugandan National record for the Javelin event.
Moving on from track and field to swimming, 21-year-old Muzito Gloria Anna was able to clinch a bronze medal in the Women’s 100-meter Freestyle with a time of 56.01. From there, the medal hauls continued as the weightlifting event brought about 3 medals for Uganda, 2 silvers, and 1 bronze. All medals from the weightlifting event were brought by one man, Niyoyita Davis. The 20-year-old was in fine form, winning silver in the men’s 55kg, bronze in the men’s 55 kg snatch, and silver in the 55 kg clean jerk. In the cycling event, Kagimu Charles was able to deliver a scintillating gold for Uganda, in the men’s individual time trial elite, holding back two South Africans.
Next Edition Of the African Games
Come 2027, Egypt will host the 14th edition of the All African Games. This decision was reached during the African Union Sports Council of Ministers meeting with 32 African countries represented. As preparations by the host nation begin in earnest, all eyes are currently pointing toward the Paris 2024 Olympics and what our Ugandan athletes can bring to the table.