Silent goodbye for Emong, new para-sports

Vaster Kyalimpa had been to the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, but no Ugandan para-powerlifter had been to the Paralympic Games until Dennis Mbaziira made it to Paris 2024.

Since his international debut at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, Mbaziira hasn't looked back. He competed at several continental and world championships, picking points that eventually made the Paris dream a reality.

There was Cairo, Dubai, among others. But after faltering at the Pattaya 2024 Para Powerlifting World Cup in Thailand in May, the road to Paris became bumpy.

He needed one last chance. He got it. Used it. To his best. At another World Cup in Tbilisi, Georgia, Mbaziira eventually qualified for Paris 2024.

Then on August 11, he made history as the first Ugandan powerlifter to compete at the Paralympics, lifting a total of 186kg in three attempts in the Up to 88kg category.

Medals were far from his goal. Hence, emerging overall ninth, among 10 and second in Africa, behind Egypt’s Mohamed Elelfat (224kg) was enough. China’s Panpan Yan—who set a Paralympic Record with 242kg—took gold.

 “It was a great experience. I did well in practice and people panicked. I learnt a lot and next time I shall be better,” Mbaziira said.   

African records; medal miss

Mbaziira was the only debutant of the four athletes that represented Uganda in
Paris. Swimmer Husinah Kukundakwe and short distance runner Peace Oroma were on their second appearances, having debuted at Tokyo 2020.

Oroma performed below her level, due to a hip injury, finishing sixth in the 1500m T13 final. Days later, the pain worsened, but she forced herself into the 400m T13 semifinal heats, finishing sixth.

Kukundakwe set two new African records out of the three events she did in Paris. A week after finishing seventh in her favourite 100m breaststroke heats on August 29, the 17-year-old improved to fifth position in Heat One of the 50m freestyle, finishing in 33.12 seconds, a new African Record.

She also posted fifth in Heat One of the 100m butterfly in 1:25.29 minutes, setting another African Record. The heat was won by Great Britain’s eventual bronze medalist Alice Tai.

But all the eyes were on David Emong—on a record fourth appearance. And probably his last. But most importantly, could he win his third Games’ medal?

He didn’t. Emong, who had struggled throughout the qualifying campaign, finished the 1500m T46 final a distant eighth in 4:01.48 as refugee athlete Aleksandr Iaremchuk, Australian world record holder Michael Roeger and Frenchman Antoine Praud took gold, silver and bronze respectively.

Emong who won Uganda’s only two Paralympic medals—silver at Rio 2016 and bronze at Tokyo 2020—cut a forlorn figure, his body language saying good bye. The 2017 world champion may need a miracle to feature at Los Angeles 2028. But winning another major medal, will be an overachievement. The bigger question, though: who will step in his shoes? To win Uganda’s next Paralympic medal?

Annual gala; new sports

After watching a multitude of Games in Paris and interacting with lots of athletes, Mbaziira wanted to try a new sport besides powerlifting. He prefers individual sports. He chose para-archery. And he found a skilful and passionate coach in Aisha Namukwaya, a former netballer now running Target Titans Archery Club. For six days at the Annual Disability Sports Gala, Mbaziira was shooting arrows, under the coach’s watch and improved literally by the day. In practice sessions, he was the best, over 10 metres. During competitions, only Precious Asiimwe from Rubanda District, beat him.

Kabale University’s Willy Mulima and Onesmus Ngabirano won the university trophy with 81 points against Makerere University Business School’s Bright Nuwasiima and Bruno Wandera who totalled 75 points.

Mvara SS’s Peresi Yeno outscored Kigezi High School’s Michelle Ruth Natumanya to lift the girls’ secondary school trophy.

Cedrac Eric of Kajaho Primary School in Isingiro and Isaac Moju, of Apo Army Primary School in Yumbe, were among the promising rookies.

The annual gala rotates in regions over the years. And the Kabale edition introduced a series of sports: chess, table tennis, para-judo, blind football and to an extent powerlifting.

Patrick Synole, of the Uganda Paralympic Committee (UPC) was amazed by the numbers that turned out for the gala in Kabale and was convinced a good part of the vast Kigezi region will not remain the same regarding para-sport.

The cardinal aim of the gala is to identify new talents, and nurture them into elite stars to compete at the African Games, Commonwealth Games and Paralympic Games. “But our biggest problem is funds,” said UPC president Bumali Mpindi.

“Every year we spot raw talents but we don’t have a mechanism to sustain their performance and development into elite athletes.

“We thus appeal to the government to enable us to have facilities, coaches and equipment at grassroots to build these athletes for national level competitions.”

Strong Spirits win Blind Football

Gad Reuben Tumusiime was the most valuable player and top scorer after scoring all seven goals as Strong Spirits won the 2024 Blind Football Uganda Championship in October.

Strong Spirits won all four games without conceding a goal. They beat hosts Kyambogo University and New Living Hope Center for the Blind 2-0 apiece to top Group B on six points. Kyambogo had three.

In the semifinal, they edged Katanga Young Boys 1-0 to rematch with Kyambogo, who had ejected Red Angels 2-0 in the other semifinal. Tumusiime once more rose to the occasion with a brace as Strong Spirits won the final 2-0, claiming their second national title since the inaugural edition in 2022.

Gulu, the 2023 champions, didn’t travel south to defend their crown due to the travel disruptions caused by repair works on Karuma Bridge. But Strong Spirits captain Ronald Kamusiime ruled that out as an advantage. “We prepared for this victory, we’ve earned it,” he said.

Ambassador’s thumbs up

Strong Spirits at the National Championship was a bounce back affair. They had lost 3-0 to Red Angels in July when US ambassador William Popp met members of the U.S. Exchange Disability Inclusion Alumni Network–Uganda at MUBS.

The envoy kicked off the friendly match by scoring a penalty behind a blindfold on a rainy Saturday morning.

“This is a telling example of what we can do when we include people with disabilities in all activities. We (US embassy) are committed to doing more," Popp said on a day themed: “empowering inclusion through sports and advocacy.”