Amaniyo, Napookoli take lead in USSSA Table Tennis trial

By Aloysius Byamukama

USSSA TT Normandy trials standings after two series

Boys

Girls

Schools Table Tennis stars Philip Napookoli and Flavia Amaniyo took an early lead after the second set of the Uganda Secondary Schools Sports Association (USSSA) table tennis athletes trials.

The trail series is organized by USSSA in liaison with the Uganda Table Tennis Association (UTTA) ahead of the International Schools Sports Federation (ISF) Gymnasiade U18 games in Normandy, France in May.

8 top athletes in both boys and girls categories are vying for the top four slots to represent Uganda at the games and in order to wipe out any complaints of team selection, the two associations agreed to have a series of round-robin competitions from which the topping athletes will make the France team.

And from the second set of trials held at MTN Arena, Lugogo on Sunday, Napookoli and Amaniyo are leading the boys and girls tables respectively with 26 points each.

While Amaniyo is taking a 1 point lead off second-placed Shanita Namaala, Napookoli seems to be facing a stiff challenge from Wasswa Kikomeko with whom they share the points (26) but the Kibuli SS ace tops on a head-on rule as he beat Mbogo College’s Kikomeko 3-0 on Sunday.

Napookoli has not found any hardships beating the entire 7 opponents in the first and second series, and will only be waiting to extend his lead and nearness to the Normandy trip, in the third series of challenge next month.

Kokomeko’s only undoing was his 3-2 narrow win over Isma Lubango that lessened his points, and will only need to consolidate his position away from 3rd placed Tendo Kasoma at 23 points and Mahad Sserunjogi who is in 4th on 22 points.

Meanwhile, Amayilo, who went down 3-2 to 2nd placed Shanita Namara, was only saved by Namara’s double loss to Amina Nampeera (3-2) and Kelly Ayikolu (3-1) and will have to take care in the next and last two rounds in March and April before thinking of cementing her slot.

All the 8 girls and 8 boys undergoing these trials are capable of making the cut to the games considering how each of them recovered from the first two sets into the last two.

“The trials are ongoing smoothly and we are contented that we shall have the best table tennis team, including other teams because the best athletes will be chosen,” Said USSSA president Patrick Okanya.

The 19th edition of the ISF games due May 14-22 in Normandy, France will be competed for by only school-going athletes born between 2004-2006 and Uganda is expected to field athletes in table tennis, badminton, basketball 3*3, athletics, chess and swimming whose preparations also started early this year.

Table Tennis athletes undergoing trials

Boys: Waswa Kikomeko (Mbogo Col.), Tendo Kasoma (St Michael Inter.), Philip Napookoli (Kibuli ss), Mahad Sserungonji (Mbogo Col.), Isma Lubango (Mbogo Col.), Max Wenka (Mbogo Col), Aston Wotti (St Andrews) and Ramathan Mafabi (St Michael Inter).

Girls: Flavia Amanyo (St Michael Inter), Shanita Namala (Mbogo High), Amina Nampeera (Mbogo Col), Astolo Halima (Mbogo Col), Jalia Shakira (Kawanda SS), Kelly Ayikoru (Mbogo Mixed), Jane Nakanwagi (St Michael Inter) and Mariam Kirabira-Mbogo Col).