Another Bombers' futile mission ends

Four boxers, six bouts, two wins, four losses and no Olympic ticket, summarises Uganda's botched mission at the 1st World Olympics Qualifiers in Busto, Arsizio in Italy. 

Like at the African Qualifying event in Dakar, Senegal in September 2023, Joshua Tukamuhebwa was Uganda's best performer but that will haunt him if he misses the Paris 2024 Olympics.

The Bombers captain scored two emphatic victories: first, a stoppage of Guatemala's Edgar Garcia in the third round of the Men's 63kg Round of 64 on Tuesday. 

It was a timely consolation after Uganda conceded two quick eliminations: youngster Shafick Mawanda conceding a walkover against Singapore's Teo Wei Xuan on the opening day, and Yusuf Nkobeza, a 2022 African bronze medallist, losing 5:0 to Romania's Andrei Aradoaei in the Men's 80kg Round of 64 on Monday. 

Tukamuhebwa avenged that by defeating Romanian Robert Jitaru 4:1 on Thursday, to move within two wins to the semifinals and an Olympic ticket. 

But against Jordan's 2016 Olympian  Obada Alkasbeh, Tukamuhebwa failed the test, losing by unanimous decision, ending Uganda's qualification chances in just seven days at the E-Work Arena. 

The previous day,  Emily Nakalema, Uganda's only woman in Italy, had been outclassed by a very improved Ivanusa MOREIRA of Cape Verde in the Women's 66kg Round of 32 encounter. Nakalema had defeated Moreira at the  2020 African Olympic Boxing Qualifier in Dakar, Senegal. 

Moreira, who gathered more exposure as Nakalema took a break, is a class above. She defeated Nakalema at the African Confederation Championship, in Yaounde, Cameroon last year. She was even sharper against her on Friday. 

Uganda has only failed to qualify a boxer at London 2012 (due to administrative wrangles). 

Now the four Bombers, their two coaches  and their colleagues back home do not know what next; unsure about the 2nd World Qualifier in Bangkok, Thailand in May. 

The preps, anchored by the Uganda Olympic Committee and the National Council of Sports, for the two qualifiers so far were shambolic, to be polite. Where's the hope that Uganda will finally send at least one boxer to Paris?

2024 Olympic qualifiers 

Uganda's results - boxing 

Teo Xuan WO. Shafick Mawanda 

Andrei Aradoaei 5:0 Yusuf Nkobeza

Joshua Tukamuhebwa RSC-3 Edgar Garcia 

Joshua Tukamuhebwa 4:1 Robert Jitaru 

Ivanusa Moreira 5:0 Emily Nakalema

Obada Alkasbeh 5:0 Joshua Tukamuhebwa