At Maroons Aqua Sports Club, the focus is not just on training athletes, but on rebuilding rowing through structure, consistency, and long-term vision.
Driving this effort are two women whose influence extends beyond results. Kathleen Noble is a renowned two-time Olympian still competing at the highest level while Batenga Nakisozi is the club’s and national coach working to establish the systems needed to sustain the sport.
Together, they represent a rare combination in Ugandan sport that evokes performance at the top and deliberate system-building at the base.
The genesis
Maroons Aqua was founded in 2008 by Abubaker Mayanja Kakule. The name ‘Maroons’ draws from the idea of being marooned on an island with rowing as the means of movement, survival, and connection.
From its inception, Mayanja built the club ‘on resilience, self-reliance, and a deep passion for the sport.’
Nakisozi joined the club in 2012 as an athlete with ambitions of qualifying for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games while Noble entered the program in 2015 after being identified while rowing at Princeton University.
She recalls that when she joined most of the rowers she met in Uganda were a part of Maroons.
‘We had a uniform, and I remember racing at the Kabaka’s Regatta as a team. However, there were no regular organized, practice, or regular competitions. I think the enthusiasm was there, but the infrastructure and coaching was lacking.’
The Olympian giving back
For most athletes, competing at the Olympic Games is the pinnacle. For Noble, it became part of a broader journey that continues to evolve.
She is two-time Olympian who continues to set a new personal bests and national record in the women’s single sculls. She tried to walk away after the Paris 2024 Olympics but she ‘made amazing friends through rowing in Philadelphia that got me back in a boat.’
Now, her motivation has shifted in a way that has surprised even her.
‘At this stage, it’s really about love for the sport. I’m rowing without expectations because I enjoy it and interestingly, I’m the fastest I’ve ever been. I don’t think that’s a coincidence,’ Noble shared.
‘Rowing is part of who I am. I love the lifestyle, the daily training, being on the water, and pushing myself,’ continued the athlete whose development within a high-performance environment abroad also shaped a long-term vision.
‘Being part of a high-performance program like Penn AC (Athletic Club) is helping me understand what it takes to build something similar in Uganda.’
In 2022, at a time when rowing activity in Uganda had slowed significantly, Noble returned following the Tokyo Olympics and helped reignite momentum by organizing clinics and a regatta, creating opportunities for athletes across active rowing clubs to re-engage with the sport.
‘I believe we are blessed to be a blessing. Rowing has given me incredible opportunities, and I want to help create those same opportunities for other Ugandan athletes.’
Her involvement has since extended into mentorship and active participation in team development. At the Commonwealth Rowing Association Beach Sprints in Barbados in November 2025, she teamed up with locally based rower Elijah Namunyu, a 23-year-old athlete who has been steadily rising through the ranks after being identified through the club’s development system. The pair reached the quarterfinals in the mixed double, competing against strong international crews.
Behind the scenes
At the same event, 17 year old junior rower Marcel Otim, also identified and developed through Maroons’ behind the scenes system led by Nakisozi, secured a historic bronze medal, Uganda’s first international rowing medal.
Nakisozi aims at building a sustainable pathway that identifies, develops, and retains talent in Uganda such that this talent is not left to chance.
Through the International Coaching Enrichment Certificate Program (ICECP), supported by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), she has led initiatives that introduce rowing to new communities, including school-based programs and outreach efforts involving refugee youth.
Her work has also extended to the global stage. As a member of the World Rowing Indoor Rowing Commission, Nakisozi contributes to shaping the growth of the sport internationally, while applying those insights locally.
Both Nakisozi and Noble have also gained experience coaching in high-performance environments abroad through their work with the Para Rowing Foundation. In Portugal, they have worked with para rowers from around the world, including athletes who have competed at the Paralympic Games and World Championships – exposure that continues to inform their approach to athlete development in Uganda.
‘Working in that environment showed us the importance of structures. Be it with athlete selection, training systems and the wider support network – including psychology, strength and conditioning, nutrition, physiotherapy, and recovery.
If Uganda is to move from passion and guesswork to intentional development and results, those elements have to be in place.
‘We also realized that as a club, we have to lead by example but not in isolation. Progress will come through collaboration with other like-minded and forward-thinking clubs that are investing in coaching and development,’ Batenga who was partnered for programs with clubs like Kampala Rowing Club, Kisubi Pirates, and UPDF – which is introducing the sport to disabled soldiers in a rehabilitation setting as part of their recovery. She is also engaging with emerging initiatives like River Nile Rowing Club, which is introducing rowing to young children through community and faith-based programs, and Aqua Akii Rowing Club through The North Green School, where students are being introduced to the sport within a school environment.
Turning point
‘The foundation (to develop the sport) was always there. There are people committed to the sport and a clear sense that Uganda has the talent. The turning point was recognizing that passion alone was not enough but that we needed structure, systems, and consistency to move forward.’
Central to this effort is the creation of a national talent identification framework designed to move athletes from grassroots exposure to elite competition.
For the duo, one of the most symbolic moments in their journey came not in competition, but in activism.
For nearly five years, a fleet of brand new boats donated by World Rowing to support the development of the sport in Uganda and the wider region remained under customs bond, unused and out of reach.
Getting them out of lock and key required persistence, coordination, and the right partnerships. And with critical support from UPDF Rowing Club, the boats were finally brought into use thereby transforming a dormant investment into a critical foundation for the sport’s future.
‘It wasn’t about recovering boats, it was about activating opportunity,’ said Nakisozi while Noble emphasized that ‘without boats, there is no rowing. These new boats are the key to developing the sport in Uganda.’
Looking ahead
Despite the progress, both agree that the next phase will be decisive.
‘Infrastructure is the biggest gap right now. We need a proper rowing centre, a secure venue by the water where boats can be housed and athletes can train consistently,’ said Noble, who is occupied with how the next generation can be supported.
‘It’s really encouraging to see younger athletes coming through. Elijah brings great energy and resilience, and Marcel has a lot of potential. I think Uganda has a lot of potential in beach sprints.’
As Uganda looks ahead to greater participation on the international stage, the story of Maroons Aqua offers a glimpse into what it takes to build success in emerging sports. The work being done by Noble and Nakisozi may yet prove to be as important as any medal that follows.