By Sadiq Bamwita
ENTEBBE
The Uganda National Rugby teams both male and female received a heroic welcome at Entebbe International Airport on March 22, 2024, after scooping gold medals in Rugby 7s at the 13th edition of All African games in Accra, Ghana.
The happy rugby fans were seen at Entebbe International Airport blowing vuvuzelas, drumming and dancing as they praised both the Male and female rugby teams for making Uganda proud on the continental level.
The women’s rugby team trounced Madagascar 29-00 at the University of Ghana stadium, to make it four wins in row before emerging the overall winners in the group.
While the men’s rugby team defeated Benin 56-00. The two national rugby teams make it four gold medals for Uganda in the 13th edition of All African games.
The first team to bag the gold medal was Badminton team followed by a gold medal by cyclist Charles Kagimu, who emerged victorious in the individual trial category.
The women’s rugby team Head coach, Kigongo Sebalamu, said his team’s success is due to enough preparations saying his team last year participated in Rubgy competition in Urugay and emerged fourth.
The women’s rugby team Capt. Peace Lekuru, attributes the team’s success to the able coach saying come may this year her team is ready to compete in Rugby 7s world cup qualifiers.
“Besides winning gold medals in All African games, we are also the defending champions in CECAFA region and come July this year we are ready to defend the title,” she said.
“We played top countries but to overcome them we had to first study our opponents. We took each game seriously and I can now see a bright future for our national rugby team, ” Capt. Peace expressed optimism.
The Chief Executive officer (CEO), Uganda Rugby Union, Isaac Lutwama Nsubuga, said it was the first time Rugby national teams were allowed to participate in All African games, and in their maiden participation at the continental level, the rugby federation union became the first Federation to win gold medals for both men and women team.
“Our rugby teams didn’t take games for granted but rather took every game seriously and eventually emerged victorious. The two rugby teams have been doing a lot of work in the past one year and this has enabled both teams to post good results in the All African games in Accra, Ghana,” he said.
