The Uganda national boxing team (Bombers) flew out to Dakar, Senegal on Monday morning in a contingent of 25 led by former National Council of sports (NCS) board chairman John Bosco Onyik.
The contingent has 13 boxers and 12 officials among the boxers; five are female while eight are male. Flagging off the team on Friday, the minister of state for sports Hon. Hamson Obua lauded the boxers for the discipline exhibited during their residential training at Luzira prisons before urging them to work hard for the pride of their country.
“The government has fully facilitated this team to Senegal starting from travel tickets, accommodation, allowances, insurance and the camp its self among other expenses.
“We hope that the team is very ready to make Ugandan proud. We have always trusted the boxing team to bring us medals and our hopes are high. The team may not have gotten the best facilitation for training, but at least government has tried its best to ensure smooth preparations,” noted the minister.
The team will be led by Coach Patrick Lihanda as head coach. He will be assisted by Daniel Kasole, Twaib Mayanja and Sekabira Tonny. There was shockingly no space for female coach Mercy Mukankusi who has been in camp managing the female boxers. This raised eyebrows given the fact that the number of officials rose to 12.
The other contingent members include; Martin Ntulume (Doctor), Jazmine Kobusingye, Phillip Munabi, Rose Kabwama and Simon Peter Baligo (UBF). Bernard Ogwel (NCS Secretary General) joins Onyik as government officials while Moses Muhangi, the Uganda boxing federation (UBF) president travels as the team manager.
Male boxers
Mubiru Disan – Fly weight, 52kgs
Masembe Isaac – Feather Weight, 57kg
Adinan Yasin – Light Weight 63Kgs
Shadir Musa – Welter Weight 69
David Ssemujju Kavuma – Middle weight 75kgs
Male Joshua – Light Heavy, 81
Bwambale Alex Heavy, 91kgs
Geko Solomon Kozaala – Supper Heavy
Female
Nanziri Catherine – fly Weight
Akello Susan – feather weight
Among Rebecca – Light weight
Nakalema Emilly – Welter weight
Nasali Doreen – Middle Weight.
