Three Ugandan table tennis players, who include two girls, are highly-rated in the latest Africa rankings.
Jemimah Nakawala, Judith Parvin Nangonzi and Samuel Ankunda Mbabazi are rated in the top five seeds in the continent’s U-13 and U-15 categories’ best players.
The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF)-Africa rankings, released on June 20, are based on individual player points accumulated through good performances for the past three months.
Nakawala, who features Nakasero Table Tennis Club, is Uganda’s best rated player at seed number two in the Under 13 girls’ category.
She attained the position after accumulating 75 points. Egypt’s Khadeeja Elhakim is the continent’s number one seed with 109 points.
Her compatriot Judith Parvin Nangonzi is ranked seed number five in the Under 15 girls’ category while Ankunda Mbabazi, the only Ugandan male player, is rated number four in the boys’ Under 15 category.
Nangonzi features for Nakasero Table Tennis Club while Mbabazi turns out for Kibuli SS Table Tennis Club.
The Uganda Table Tennis Federation (UTTF) president Robert Jaggwe lauded the youngsters on attaining superb rankings in Africa.
“These players registered impressive performances in recent major competitions, and like I have been saying several times, our players are very good and are at the right age to conquer the African continent,” Jaggwe said.
He added: “With the right support, the sky is the limit for these extra ordinarily talented players.”
Jaggwe also lauded the players’ coaches who include three-time former Olympian Mary Musoke, Alvin Katumba and Mary Tendo Balyewunya.
Some of the recent tournaments in which Nakawala, Nangonzi and Mbabazi are regional Senior Championships (Djibouti 2023), the Africa Club Championships and Africa Cup, both held in Nairobi, Kenya.