A dramatic finish in men’s handball proved decisive as Ndejje University once again rose above their rivals to claim overall honours at the 20th Association of Uganda University Sports (AUUS) Games, extending their dominance of university sport to seven consecutive titles.
Hosted by Uganda Christian University (UCU) in Mukono, the championship remained wide open until the final whistle of the last event. Ndejje delivered when it mattered most, overpowering Kampala University 40–30 in the men’s handball final to clinch a crucial 10th gold medal.
That single result separated them from the hosts, who had mounted a spirited challenge but ultimately settled for second place with nine golds.
What made Ndejje’s triumph particularly striking was the efficiency of their campaign. Despite fielding teams in fewer disciplines than some of their competitors, the Luweero-based institution maximised its strengths, collecting gold medals across a broad range of sports. They topped the podium in men’s and women’s athletics, men’s badminton, mixed bridge, karate (both men and women), men’s table tennis and men’s woodball, underlining a philosophy built on quality rather than numbers.
Their medal tally was further strengthened by silver finishes in women’s badminton, men’s and women’s swimming and men’s table tennis, alongside a bronze medal in men’s pool — a return that consistently kept them ahead in the overall standings.
The victory stretches Ndejje’s remarkable run at the Inter-University Games, adding the 2025 title to previous successes in 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2023. Few institutions in the region can match such sustained excellence, cementing Ndejje’s status as a benchmark in both Ugandan and East African university sport.
Hosts UCU, competing at the Games for the fourth time and for a second year in a row as organisers, pushed Ndejje all the way. Their nine gold medals came from men’s and women’s badminton, women’s darts, netball, men’s table tennis, women’s tennis, men’s football, and men’s and women’s volleyball. UCU also earned five silvers and two bronzes, a performance that reaffirmed their growing stature as both competitors and organisers.
Makerere University finished third overall, powered by gold medals in women’s football, women’s chess, and men’s and women’s swimming, adding further depth to an increasingly competitive podium.
With 22 universities taking part, the Mukono Games highlighted the expanding reach and rising standards of university sport in Uganda. While Ndejje once again walked away with the biggest prize, the narrow margins and strong challenges suggested that the gap at the top is being tested more seriously than ever before.
