Jjagwe: Qatar experience will be crucial to our players

Jemimah Nakawala and Parvin Judith Nangonzi will play at the highest level of their table tennis careers—at the World Table Tennis Championships in Qatar—as the first Ugandan players to qualify for the tournament since the qualifiers were introduced.

Following a busy 2024, Nangonzi and Nakawala, both products of Nakasero Table Tennis Club, gathered qualification points from the African Games in Ghana, the Regional Senior Championship in Uganda, and the Africa Senior Championships in Ethiopia.

They duo won gold at the Regional Senior Championships and a bronze at the Africa Senior Championships.

Robert Jjagwe will be in Doha watching his players test their work against the cream of the world, at the week-long event that starts Saturday May 17, especially from Asia, a task he predicted as very difficult.

“I want to be sincere, that this being the first time our players are in a tournament of this calibre, it’s going to be hard for them. But most importantly, experience with the best players, coaches and competition environment will be very crucial for them in subsequent tournaments,” Jjagwe said upon flagging off at the National Council of Sports Thursday.

“Amidst the little funding from the government, we expect results. It’s not going to be your first time playing outside Uganda. You have been to Ethiopia, Ghana, etc. so the difference here may be Qatar. But the other things are the same. So aim for a win,” said Joseph Oluga, assistant general secretary NCS. 

The players didn’t travel with their coach Alvin Katumba, which Jjagwe attributed to inadequate funds. “We have decided that the coach stays training the four of the six players he will take to Madagascar at the end of the month,” Jjagwe said.

Meanwhile, Katumba is confident the gold medal performance at the USSSA in Bukedea was a good rehearsal for his players.

PLAYERS

Jemimah Nakawala

Parvin Judith Nangonzi

OFFICIAL

Robert Jjagwe