The curtains closed at the Lugogo MTN Arena in Kampala, Uganda, on Sunday, 25th February, marking the end of an exhilarating Uganda International Challenge 2024. The finals showcased fierce competition and captivating performances across various categories.
In the Women’s Doubles, it was an all-American affair, featuring the top-seeded pair Francesca Corbett and Allison Lee against their friends Paula Lynn Cao Hok and Lauren Lam, seeded number two. The match unfolded as a nail-biting contest lasting three sets, with Paula and Lauren emerging victorious at 21-19, 18-21, 15-21. Their display of composure and skill on the court secured them the championship.
Moving to the Men’s Doubles, the number one seed from India, M.R. Arjun and Dhruv Kapila, showcased their dominance against the second-seeded Vinson Chiu and Joshua Yuan from the USA. In a post-match interview with BCA TV, Arjun and Dhruv emphasized the importance of ranking points in this phase of their careers, expressing their determination to represent India at the Olympics and aim for a medal.
Surprises unfolded in the Mixed Doubles event, where the sixth-seeded pair of Sathish Kumar Karunakaran and Aadya Variyath delivered a hard-fought victory against the second-seeded favorites, Kenneth Zhe Hooi Choo, and Gronya Somerville from Australia. The intense match concluded with the Indians triumphing at 22-20, 18-21, 21-19.
In the Women’s Singles, an all-Indian final transpired between top-seeded Aakarshi Kashyap and the unseeded underdog Shruti Mundada, who fought her way up from qualifications. Ultimately, Aakarshi Kashyap emerged victorious in straight games, claiming the title with a scoreline of 25-23, 21-18.
The spotlight of the day was on the Men’s Singles final, featuring unseeded contenders Raghu Mariswamy from India and Le Duc Phat from Vietnam. Le Duc Phat secured a straight-set victory at 21-18, 21-14, showcasing his prowess on the court.
As the Uganda International Challenge concludes, attention turns to the Uganda Junior Internationals starting on Monday, 26th February, featuring the participation of eight countries. Stay tuned to our Youtube Channel and Facebook page for live coverage of the matches from the Lugogo Stadium. The excitement continues, promising more thrilling badminton action on the African soil and Uganda which is also the Pearl of Africa.
