Uganda wrapped up its campaign at the 2025 ITTF African Youth Championships in Lagos with a silver and two bronze medals, thanks to strong performances from its young table tennis stars.
Jemimah Nakawala and Parvin Judith Nangonzi delivered Uganda’s biggest result at the tournament, securing silver in the under-19 girls’ doubles.
The duo reached the final but lost 3-0 (11-8, 11-3, 11-8) to the Egyptian pair of Abdelshakour Malak and Zaki Nour in a fast-paced contest played at the Sir Molade Thomas Okoya Indoor Sports Hall.
In the under-15 boys’ doubles, Shariff Nsereko and Joseph Sebatindira picked up bronze after falling to Egypt’s Sameh Asser and Abdelhalim Mohammed at the semifinal stage.
The Ugandan pair started strong, winning the first game 13-11, but the Egyptians bounced back to take the next three sets 11-6, 11-9, and 11-6.
Shariff Nsereko was also in the hunt for a second medal in the boys’ under-15 singles, but he fell 3-0 to Algeria’s Zouitene Bilal in the semifinal. The Algerian held off Nsereko’s challenge with tight scores of 15-13, 11-9, and 11-4.
Nsereko’s third chance at reaching a final came in the under-15 mixed doubles, where he teamed up with Patience Anyango.
They came close, pushing Nigerian opponents Adebakin Tobi and Rabiu Aishat to five sets in a thrilling semifinal. After dropping the first two games 11-8 and 11-9, the Ugandans rallied to level the tie 2-2. But the Nigerians edged the final game 11-8 to seal the win.
Attention now shifts to the African Youth Cup, where Uganda will be represented by Joseph Sebatindira, Patience Anyango, Jemimah Nakawala, Sharif Nsereko, and Parvin Judith Nangonzi under the guidance of coaches Alvin Katumba and Tendo Balyewunya.
