Team captain Jonathan Senyonga and coach Alvin Katumba held their heads high after Uganda presented the youngest group for table tennis action and reached the quarterfinals of the sixth World Islamic Solidarity Games in Saudi Arabia.
Both three-player teams were eliminated 8-1 by Iran (women) and Turkiye (men) in the last eight stage at the Boulevard City Arena in Riyadh on Sunday.
‘The team events paused a big challenge that came along with lots of lessons,’ captain Senyonga reacted. ‘This was a good result of the fact that Uganda has the youngest team and least experienced team in this tournament,’ he said.
At 28, Senyonga is the most experienced player on the team. Yet, Joseph Francis Sebatindira is the youngest of them all at 11.
The primary five pupil of Nakasero Primary School has a teenager for company in Joshua Magaya Joshua, a 17-year-old senior three student of Kibuli Secondary School.
For the ladies’ team, or rather girls honestly, Magaya’s classmates Judith Parvin Nangonzi and Jemimah Nakawala are 17 and 15 respectively while the youngest female is Judith Mirembe, aged 12 and only sat her Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) last week at Mbogo Junior School.
With experience picked from the team events, Uganda is eyeing for growth in the singles events which begin on Tuesday.
‘We have some hope in the singles event and doubles especially from our highest ranked girl Nakawala, at world ranking 183,’ said Senyonga.
Nakawala will compete on Table 1 against Hoor Fawad of Pakistan at the round of 32. The pair met on Saturday in the team event where Uganda defeated the Asian nation 8-4 in Group C.
The day begins with Joshua Magaya on Table 2 against Mohammadian Hossain of Iran in the singles men’s round of 64 before Sebatindira meets Onur Guluzade of Azerbaijan on Table
At noon on Table 4, Nangonzi will aim to skip the hurdle presented by Amiri Sumayai of Tajikistan. ‘Nakawala and Magaya will surely make wins for the rounds,’ said Senyonga who is not competing in the singles but will return for the doubles.
‘I encourage them (the rest) during tense matches and game preparation in the warm-up hall. Basically, my presence on the team gives them confidence, especially in the decisive matches,’ he added.
Senyonga helped the younger compatriots to an 8-4 win over Guyana in the team event’s group stage phase on Sunday.
2025 ISLAMIC SOLIDARITY GAMES
UGANDANS IN ACTION – TUESDAY
TABLE TENNIS – MEN’S ROUND OF 64 (SINGLES)
Table 2, 10am: Joshua Magaya vs. Mohammadian Hossain (IRN)
Table 4, 10.40am: Joseph Sebatindira vs. Onur Guluzade (AZE)
TABLE TENNIS – WOMEN’S ROUND OF 32 (SINGLES)
Table 4, 12pm: Judith Nangonzi vs. Amiri Sumayai (TJK)
Table 1, 2pm: Jemimah Nakawala vs. Hoor Fawad (PAK)
TEAM RESULTS – WOMEN
QUARTERFINAL: Uganda 1-8 Iran
GROUP C: Uganda 8-4 Pakistan
TEAM Uganda: Judith Mirembe, Jemimah Nakawala, Judith Parvin Nangonzi
TEAM RESULTS – MEN
QUARTERFINAL: Uganda 1-8 Turkiye
GROUP C: Uganda 8-4 Guyana
TEAM Uganda: Joseph Sebatindira, Joshua Magaya, Jonathan Senyonga