As the Plascon Sponsored Uganda Junior International awaits its climax on Wednesday, February 25, Uganda’s promising Badminton player Arafat Tendo Kibirige and two pairs were humbled to Bronze.
Kibirige, 16, reached the medal bracket with a hard served 3-1 win over AbdulAziz 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.
In the final, Muhammed from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will take on Lee Shawn from Malaysia, who passed Maurisius’ Nyanesh Anand Changea in the Semifinal by straight sets (21-8, 21-7).
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.
The Arabians reached the final where they will face a pair from Algeria in Oussama Keddou and Chiraz Halimi. The Algerians stopped Kazakstans’ Barkhanov Timur and Alissa Kuleshova, who burst into tears following the semifinal loss.
In Men’s doubles, Marvin Nicholas Bakaki and Benjamin Ssekanjako also lost in the semifinal 21-14, 21-11 to Mustafa Malikzhan and Arnur Tapishev from Kazakstan.
Finals Schedule at 11:00am.
Men’s Singles
Amer Muhammed vs Lee Shawn
Women’s Singles
Micah Henares Cruz (USA) vs Diana Namenova (Kazakstan)
Men’s Doubles
Ayoub Rayan Daouda + Oussama Keddou (Algeria) vs Mustafa Melikzhan + Arnur Tapishev (Kazakstan)
Women’s Doubles
Alissa Kuleshova +Diana Namenova (Kazakstan) vs Tiya Bhurtun + Layna Chiniah (Maurisius).
Mixed Doubles
Amer Muhammed +Nabiha Sharif (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) vs Oussama Keddou +Chiraz Halimi(Algeria).
