Uganda finds redemption in Individual events at the Africa AirBadminton Championships

The sandy shores of Aero Beach in Entebbe came alive with fierce smashes and strategic outdoor plays as the Africa AirBadminton Championships officially drew to a close. 

While the tournament shuttled off on September 16 and wrapped up its matches on Saturday, September 19, nature added its own dramatic flair. Because it was an outdoor event, encroaching darkness on Saturday meant the official closing ceremony had to be gracefully pushed to Sunday.

Despite a turbulent journey in the team categories, the host nation carved out a stellar redemption story, soaring triumphantly in the individual events to collect a proud total of three medals among the 11 African countries that converged on the lakeside venue.

Uganda’s individual campaign was headlined by an electrifying performance from Gladys Mbabazi and Denis Mukasa, who dominated the court to claim gold in the mixed doubles. 

The momentum carried seamlessly into the triples categories, where Team Uganda secured two hard-earned bronze medals through the combined efforts of Denis Mukasa, Muzafaru Lubega, and Bruno Agaba in the men’s triples, and Gladys Mbabazi, Tracy Naluwooza, and Olivia Nakajja in the women’s triples.

The road to the podium was anything but easy. Uganda was represented by an eight-player squad consisting of Reagan Nsubuga, Muzafaru Lubega, Bruno Agaba, Denis Mukasa, Tracy Naluwoza, Gladys Mbabazi, Olivia Nakajja, and Malha Musa. During the team events, the squad faced a tough hurdle and was eliminated in the group stages, finishing fourth with no points. 

Yet, looking back at history, Uganda holds a legendary status in the tournament’s timeline, having famously been the first country to win the inaugural edition of the Africa AirBadminton Championships held in Mauritius by beating the hosts in the finals.

Reflecting on the bounce back, Team Head Coach William Kabindi shared his thoughts with a sense of pride.

“Today is a happy day; we managed to win gold in the mixed doubles and two bronze medals in the women’s triple and the men’s triple. There was a lot for us to learn. When we lost the team events, we came back stronger. That’s how we managed to win these medals. All in all, I want to say that it was a lesson.”

Looking ahead, Coach Kabindi outlined ambitious plans to expand the sport’s footprint across the nation.

“And what we plan is to spread more of Air Badminton in schools and the rest of Uganda, such that we can have a bigger number of players. In cases where the senior players are out for other tournaments, indoor tournaments, we can be able to have a bigger team to represent in Air Badminton. And I’m sure we are going to keep on doing well.”

Mastering AirBadminton requires a completely different tactical mindset compared to traditional indoor formats, a challenge amplified by the lakeside breeze at Aero Beach.

Gladys Mbabazi, the national team player and ladies captain, detailed the unique hurdles of outdoor play and the collective perseverance that secured their victory.

“What I can say about this badminton is that it’s a little bit different from the one that we play indoors because of so many factors involved, like the wind. You really have to study it so well so that you can be able to play very well. And then also you need to be very patient with the shuttle because it’s a different shuttle, kind of heavier than the one we play indoors. So what we did was we were trying to be patient, and while we made mistakes, we tried to rectify them, and that’s why we have managed to come out victorious. A big thanks to our supporters, our Federation and the government of Uganda.”

While Uganda owned the individual spotlights, the team event battle culminated in a thrilling showcase of continental supremacy. Egypt was crowned the champions of this year’s edition after edging out Benin in a nail-biting final that finished 60-57. In successfully defending the trophy they won in 2025, Egypt once again overcame the very same opponent, Benin, who fell just short in a tight 60-59 final, sealing a final team ranking where Egypt took first, Benin second, Burkina Faso third, and Mauritius fourth.

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