Table tennis: 10-year old Anyango stuns giants

Ten-year old Patience Anyango is now the hottest topic in table tennis circles after stunning all her senior opponents at the national trials for the African Cup, which will also be an Olympic Qualification Championship. 

At the trials inside the Lugogo Indoor Arena, Saturday, Anyango quickly showed her intentions by defeating Parvin Nangonzi 3-2 in her first game of the day.

It was a big result for the shy little thing against Uganda’s Seed Two ,fresh from the African Games in Accra last month. 

Next, Anyango saw off the little-known Susan Egita 3-0, before enjoying a walkover—like everyone—against Irene Nekesa, who reportedly missed due to academic commitments.

Anyango fought out another 3-2 victory against Shanita Naamala, another big player who featured in Accra and several regional and continental tournaments.

She then followed it up with another comfortable 3-0 defeat of Gloria Gimbo to make it four straight wins.

By now, she was the only unbeaten player standing, a record she beautified with two more emphatic victories.  

Her penultimate game was a sibling affair which Anyango won 3-1 against her big sister Patra Nasirumbi, a promising star herself.

The precocious Anyango capped her epic run with arguably her most improbable victory against the usually ruthless Jemimah Nakawala, who was the women’s Top Seed ahead of Accra. She won 3-0.

On a disappointing afternoon, Nakawala conceded her third loss, falling 3-1 to Anyango’s sister Nasirumbi.

After the round-robin, Anyango became the undisputed Number One to qualify for the African Championship, followed by Nangozi, who only lost to the youngster.

The event due in Kigali, Rwanda next month, will also double as the final qualifier for the Paris 2024 Olympics.  

“I have no excuses. She is good and she was better than me today. She deserved to win,” Nangozi conceded defeat.

Alvin Katumba, who coaches Anyango at Nakasero Table Tennis Club and her seniors at Kibuli SSS, commended the youngster for being true to her ambition.

“I can’t say that I have given her exclusive training but it's mostly her self-drive to improve in backhand, service that has led her to such victories,” Katumba said.

“If she maintains that hunger, surely she will be a force locally and internationally.”

In the men’s category, Sam Ankunda won all his matches, except a 3-1 loss to another youngster Joseph Sebatindira— the WTT Under 11 and Under 13 world champion—to book his ticket to Kigali. Ankunda was followed by Jonathan Ssenyonga, who only lost 3-0.