Record champion Turigye knocked out in Pool Open
Turigye poses with two trophies after winning the Pool Open . PHOto by JB Ssenkubuge
What you need to know:
Pool. In a whole, it’s been a year of lows for Turigye. He fell in the national rankings from fifth to now 21st place.
Kabale. In every hang-out or pool table around the country, Jonan ‘Joker’ Turigye is known as the master of the cue.
Actually, very few have found their way past the self-styled player over the years. In that, he’s garnered three titles (2008, 2010 and 2013) to become the record champion in the Nile Special National Pool Open.
But on Saturday night, the fraternity was treated to a big shock as Turigye’s road to this year’s Open finals ended prematurely at Red Roosters in Entebbe.
The Africa number 10 was dumped out 2-0 at the best-of-three second round contest of the Open preliminary qualifiers by little-known Alex Byamukama.
“He is our most popular player, a crowd puller, talented and the best entertainer. Everyone will miss him at Lugogo,” noted tournament director Robert Kayanja.
Interestingly, the bar attendant Byamukama didn’t make it to the coveted last four slots. Instead, it’s Swaibu Sserunjogi, Sulaiman Wamala, Dennis Walugembe and Muhammad Yiga who advanced to the regional qualifiers that get underway this weekend.
Year of lows
From here, the top three per venue from 40 centres will join the top eight seeds to the Lugogo finals due October 24.
In a whole, it’s been a year of lows for Turigye. He fell in the national rankings from fifth to now 21st place.
Recently, the 31-year-old was dropped from the Pool Cranes side that is in preparations for the Africa Cup due October in Lesotho.
“He’s (Turigye) been off-form but I expected him to get past the preliminaries. Hard luck champion!” opined his friend and 2012 Open champion Alfred Gumikiriza.
His own downfall?
Kayanja believes Turigye masterminded his downfall. “Why wait for a last day of the preliminaries to qualify?” he queried.
“Then, I wonder why he travelled that far to Entebbe. His training ground (Lumas Pub - Namirembe) would have been a better option since he is feared there,” Kayanja remarked.
In 2013 Turigye also traveled to Bugerere to secure his qualification before eventually winning the national open defeating Joseph Mutawe, another casualty of this preliminary round, in the final.
NILE SPECIAL POOL OPEN qualifiers
Preliminaries - Finalists per venue
Roosters, Entebbe:
Swaibu Sserunjogi, Sulaiman Wamala, Dennis Walugembe, Muhammad Yiga
Little Tokyo, Salaama Rd:
Sualey Sserugo, Mathias Ssempijja, Micheal Wasswa, Ronald Makumbi
4Turkeys, Entebbe:
Frank Luboyela, Wilson Mugume, John Kamya, George Kyalimpa
Zamunda Bar, Najeera:
Abraham Ogwang, Edward Swalugo, Gordon Lcayu, Ronny Karungi
