Let’s not deride performances of Ganzi, Ekiring and Ssekyaaya
Ugandan weightlifter Charles Ssekyaaya admitted that he was overwhelmed by the big stage in London. PHOTO BY MARK NAMANYA
Yet again a Ugandan athlete at the 2012 Olympics made no impression. Swimmer Ganzi Mugula finished 53rd out of 58 in yesterday’s Men’s 50m freestyle competition at the Aquatics Centre.
And because of the latest derisory showing, he qualifies as another waste of time for Team Uganda’s aspirations in London. He effectively joins Edwin Ekiring and Charles Ssekyaaya in the list of infamy.
It’s completely outright drivel. Social networking sites have been awash with scornful comments about the efforts of Uganda’s athletes at the Olympics. More can be expected if female swimmer Jamila Lunkuse fails to advance in the women’s 50m freestyle today morning (Noon, Ugandan time).
Anyone who harboured medal hopes from the three (Ganzi, Ekiring and Ssekyaaya – you can make that four with Lunkuse) obviously hasn’t cared to follow their careers and respective sporting disciplines.
“There are many Ugandans who haven’t a clue on sport, but think they know a lot,” Ekiring revealed on Tuesday near the Games Village. He had had an exchange with one of his 2,446 facebook followers.
His statement received a nod of approval from Ganzi. It is a comment heavily laced with controversy, but one not so detached from the truth.
Ekiring, Africa’s badminton no.1, played his best but lost to Brice Leverdez and Wong Wing Ki.
The disappointment for Team Uganda fans is justifiable. But a player falling short at the Olympics can’t be an embarrassment.
Illustrious names have failed before and now. The most that should have been demanded of the three athletes was setting new personal bests.
“My goal is to make a new personal best time,” a realistic Lunkuse said yesterday. The Plymouth college student’s target is to beat 27.9. Those expecting her to post a better time than Triin Aljand (Estonia’s highly ranked 27-year-old swimmer with a personal best of 25.01 and due to run in late 7 of Heat 10) are out of order.
Sometimes there is triumph in not winning as ‘Eric the Eel Moussambani’ showed at Sydney 2000 by swimming his 100m freestyle heat in a time of 1:52.7. As IOC president Jacques Rogge said at the beginning of the games, the idea is “to compete to the best of an individual’s ability.”
Said Ganzi after his race, “I’m happy that I’m an Olympian now but I need to motivate the rest of the team till the end of the Games.” Team Uganda athletes ought to be commended, not ridiculed. Of all 205 countries in London, Uganda has no divine right to winning.
