Uganda’s Under-15 girls’ table tennis team pulled off a thrilling 3-2 win over Tunisia to claim team gold at the 2025 ITTF African Youth Championships in Lagos.
The final was tense from start to finish. Patience Anyango fell in the opening match, but Jemimah Nakawala leveled the score with a gritty five-set win.
Tunisia went up again after Patra Nasirumbi’s loss, only for Nakawala to return and win another five-set battle.
It all came down to Anyango, who had lost to Tunisia’s Mariam earlier in the tournament. This time, she held her nerve, winning in five sets and sealing Uganda’s place at the World Youth Championships later this year in Romania.
The gold is Uganda’s third at the tournament, following individual wins by Joseph Sebatindira and Anyango during the Africa Hopes Week and Challenge.
The girls’ semifinal win over Algeria was just as dramatic. Down 2-0, Uganda bounced back through Nasirumbi, then Nakawala, before Anyango completed the comeback with a five-set victory that electrified the arena.
Attention now shifts to singles, starting Wednesday. Uganda will be represented in both boys’ and girls’ events, with coaching support from Alvin Katumba and Tendo Balyewunya. Parvin Nangonzi is also competing in the U-19s.
Uganda will wrap up the tournament with doubles and mixed doubles, hoping to build on an already remarkable run.
