Uganda May not topped the medal table but up impressive performance at the 8th edition of the Uganda Junior International tournament clinching three bronze Medals this evening at the MTN Indoor Arena in Lugogo.
The 2026 edition of the Uganda Junior International tournament held from Monday 23rd February to Wednesday 25th February at MTN indoor Arena were foreign delegation dominated all categories .
The three days tournament attracted 93 Junior participants from 13 countries across the world including Uganda, Egypt, Malaysia India, Switzerland , United Arab Emirates and Myanmar with targeting medals and certificates .
Tendo Arafat Kibirige from Kibuli Secondary School got bronze medal in men singles, the pair of Marvin Nicholas and Benjamin Sekanjako got a bronze medal in men doubles as well as Joan Sendiwala and Dennis Mukasa bagged Uganda’s medal third bronze medal in mixed doubles .
Uganda’s promising Badminton player Arafat Tendo Kibirige , 16, reached the medal bracket with a hard served 3-1 win over Abdul Aziz Almuqahwi from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, February 24 at Lugogo Indoor Arena.
He won the game from behind after losing the first set (20-22) before launching a comeback to win the second set 21-10 and 21-14.
In the evening at the same venue, he returned to fight for a gold ticket, but things didn’t go his way after losing the semifinal contest by straight sets (21-10, 21-10) to Amer Muhammed at Court 1.
Meanwhile, Denis Mukasa and Joan Kimberly Ssendiwala, both Ugandans, teamed up for a bronze. Their pair passed the quarterfinals with a big win over the Algerian pair of Ayoub Rayan Douda and Rahma Aya Salem in Mixed doubles.
Later, the Ugandan pair lost 2-0 (21-16, 21-9) to Amer Muhammed and Nabiha Sharif, both from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile the women single event was won by Micah Henares Cruz from USA.
Cruz defeated Kazakhastan’s Diana Namenova 21-6, 217 while Saudi Arabia’s Amer Muhammed clinched the men’s title defeating Malaysia’s Lee Shawn 21-12,23-21.
Simon Mugabi, the Chief Executive Officer of the Uganda Badminton Association (UBA), praised the tournament’s success, saying it provided local players with valuable exposure.
