Uganda’s rising sporting stars battle tough competition, record personal progress and gain valuable international experience in Senegal.
Uganda’s young athletes are showing determination, resilience and a fighting spirit at the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, where they continue to test themselves against some of the world’s promising young talents.
From the challenging waters of coastal rowing to the badminton court, table tennis arena and rugby sevens pitch, the Ugandan contingent has faced a demanding start to the Games. Although victories have been hard to come by, the athletes have continued to demonstrate courage, personal improvement and a willingness to learn on the international stage.
One of the encouraging performances came from coastal rower Marcel Andrew Otim, who showed significant improvement in the men’s solo coastal beach sprint time trials at Saly Beach West.
After clocking 3:24.00 in his opening trial, Otim returned to the water with renewed determination, cutting 19 seconds off his time to register 3:04.97 in his second attempt. His performance comprised an 11-second beach run and a rowing section completed in 2:54.86.
Despite finishing 24th in the second trial and missing out on the top eight places required to qualify for the last 16, Otim secured 32nd place overall. His improved time and personal best offered an encouraging response after he struggled with strong currents and choppy water on Saturday.
The young rower will have another opportunity to demonstrate his progress in Tuesday’s team relay, where coach Nakisozi Batenga remains optimistic about his continued improvement.
In badminton, Ramiah Bukenya experienced the intensity of Olympic competition on her debut against fourth seed Micah Cruz of the United States.
Bukenya lost 21-1, 21-5 in a 20-minute encounter, but her performance in the second game showed signs of progress. She managed to score five points and engage her opponent in longer rallies, gaining valuable experience against a highly ranked competitor.
The young Ugandan will return to action on Monday against Rajvi Parab, with another opportunity to build confidence and apply the lessons from her opening match.
Uganda’s table tennis players, Joseph Sebatindira, 11, and Jemimah Nakawala, 16, also displayed determination despite suffering identical 3-1 defeats.
Sebatindira recovered from the early setbacks to claim the third game 11-6 against Poland’s Patryk Zyworonek, showing his ability to respond under pressure. Nakawala, meanwhile, fought hard against Katarzyna Rajkowska, taking a closely contested second game 12-10.
Although neither player managed to secure victory, their performances highlighted the importance of persistence and composure in a competition where every point provides an opportunity to learn.
The rugby sevens team has endured a particularly difficult introduction to the tournament, suffering heavy defeats in Pool B. Uganda lost 49-0 to Argentina before going down 58-0 to France. They subsequently fell 33-0 to Japan, consigning the team to the classification matches.
The results underline the challenge of competing against established international opponents, but the remaining matches will offer the players an opportunity to regroup, gain experience and continue developing their game.
Uganda sent 25 athletes to Dakar to compete in athletics, badminton, road cycling, coastal beach sprints, rugby sevens, swimming and table tennis.
For the young athletes, the Youth Olympic Games represent more than the pursuit of medals. They provide an opportunity to discover their strengths, confront new challenges and measure their abilities against international competition.
As the Games continue towards their conclusion on November 13, Uganda’s young competitors will be hoping to turn the lessons learned in Dakar into stronger performances and a solid foundation for the future.
Their journey is a reminder that sporting progress is not measured by victories alone, but also by resilience, personal improvement and the courage to keep competing when the odds are difficult.
Thomas Muruka
Journalist based in Toronto, Canada
Email: muruka30@gmail.com
