Kakande’s golden delight after Olympics frustration

Kakande (3rd left) with his medal. PHOTO BY ABDUL-NASSER SSEMUGABI

Kampala.

Welterweight Muzamir Kakande could not hide his happiness after winning gold at the just-concluded Bingwa wa Mabingwa regional tournament in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Just after his victory in the finals Friday night, Kakande posted on his Facebook account “…Team Uganda we stand. Gold medallist Kande Muzamiru.” Kakande’s victory cannot be overstated because this was his long-awaited national debut after missing the Africa Olympics trials in Yaounde, Cameroon.

After a sublime performance in the National Open and National trials, Kakande was a favourite among the Bombers heading to Yaounde.

His name was, however, missing on the invitation list and was deserted at Entebbe Airport. After the intervention of the National Council of Sports (NCS), Kakande desperately travelled but reached late for the tournament weigh-in and did not box.

“I’m absolutely delighted and relieved having won this (gold) medal,” he said Monday afternoon as the team was welcomed back at NCS offices in Lugogo.

“I have showed what I’m partly capable of after the Olympics disappointment...it’s just the beginning.”

Uganda managed two more gold medals thanks to light welter Shadir Musa and light heavy Reagan Ssimbwa as captain Yusuf Babu and Nassir Bashir got silver. However, Bashir, a 2014 Commonwealth quarterfinalist is disappointed having missed out on gold. He was the most experienced of the seven-man team.