Uganda’s Gladiators and She Gladiators picked themselves up from Sunday’s defeats to return to winning ways at the Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship in Ahmedabad, India, on Monday.
The Gladiators brushed aside England 47-22, while the She Gladiators defeated Malaysia 35-23, giving Uganda’s senior teams a welcome boost after a difficult day on the mat.
The men had suffered a heartbreaking 36-34 loss to Sri Lanka on Sunday, while the women fell to hosts India. But both sides responded in style, showing the resilience needed to keep their campaigns on track at the inaugural championship, which started on Friday, October 23.
For the Gladiators, the victory over England was built on aggressive raids and a defence that gave their opponents little room to breathe.
Mulalira Daglas led Uganda’s charge with 11 points, finishing as the match’s top scorer and proving a constant threat to England’s defence.
Marvin Tenywa was just as important at the other end, collecting six tackle points, including a Super Tackle, as Uganda combined their attacking strength with a disciplined defensive display.
Rahim Ssekamatte added six points as the Gladiators took control of the contest and inflicted four all-outs on England.
England struggled to match Uganda’s intensity, managing just four tackle points throughout the match. Their captain, Felix Li, led their scoring with eight points, while Milan Kaushal contributed six.
The result was a welcome response for the Gladiators, who had also lost to India earlier in the Group A campaign. They will now look to build on Monday’s performance as they pursue a strong finish to the group stage.
Despite the victory, Uganda remain third in the seven-team Group A standings, with four points from four matches.
Hosts India lead the standings with eight points after winning all four of their matches, while Sri Lanka are second with six points from three games.
Uganda have two victories and two defeats, with a positive score difference of 25.
England sit fourth with two points from three matches, level with Tanzania, who have played the same number of games. Malaysia are sixth with two points from four matches, while Nigeria remain bottom without a point after three defeats.
In Group B, Kenya lead with six points from three matches, followed by Singapore on four. Bangladesh, Canada and Scotland have two points apiece, while Australia are yet to register a point after three matches.
The team will rest on Tuesday before facing Tanzania on Wednesday, October 28, at 8:00 p.m. They will then conclude their group fixtures against Nigeria on Thursday, October 29, at 6:00 p.m.
She Gladiators rise again
The She Gladiators also had reason to smile after putting their defeat to India behind them with a 35-23 victory over Malaysia.
Uganda took charge through effective raiding and a more organised defence, eventually opening up a 12-point gap to secure the win.
Nakayongo Shirat was the star of the show, scoring 18 points to lead Uganda’s attack and finish as the match’s highest scorer. Her contribution gave the She Gladiators the cutting edge they needed to overcome a Malaysian side that struggled to contain them.
Uganda collected 19 raid points against Malaysia’s 16, while their defensive work proved even more decisive. The She Gladiators registered 11 tackle points, compared to Malaysia’s six, and forced two all-outs to collect four additional points. Malaysia failed to register an all-out.
Darsini Singh scored 10 points to lead Malaysia’s efforts, but Uganda maintained their advantage to seal a deserved victory.
After Sunday’s disappointment against the hosts, the win offered the She Gladiators a chance to reset and regain confidence ahead of their next assignment.
The She Gladiators occupy second place in Women’s Group A with four points from three matches, having won twice and lost once.
India remain top with eight points from four matches after winning all their games. Uganda are next with a positive score difference of 38.
Malaysia sit third with two points from three matches, level with Nigeria, who have also collected two points. Singapore are bottom without a point after three defeats.
In Group B, Sri Lanka lead with six points from four matches, while Kenya also have six points but have played three matches. Bangladesh and Scotland have two points each, while England are yet to earn a point after three outings.
They will also have Tuesday off before returning to action against Nigeria on Wednesday, October 28, at 2:00 pm.
Only the top two from each group will advance to the semi-finals in both the men’s and women’s Championships.