Fide Master (FM) Harold Wanyama and Woman Fide Master (WFM) Nakabo Peninah are the two players selected by the Uganda Chess Federation (UCF) to take part in the 2023 All Africa Games.
The duo was flagged off to Accra – Ghana for the Africa Games, earmarked for Friday 8th – Saturday 23rd March 2024.
FM Wanyama takes vast experience to the event, where he won bronze at the 2019 edition. Speaking to NBS Sport, the National team coach felt optimistic and stressed, they possess the full potential to make Uganda proud.
“The All Africa Games are exciting and intresting. The last I participated in 2019, I managed to get bronze, but when representing the country, it gives greater significance. So, this one is an event that is exciting for us and me personally from the chess perspective.
Wanyama added, “We have potential, of course, they are favourites, the North African countries are very strong, but we really have potential to get medals, like it happened last time. I am with Pennie (Peninah), who has gotten a medal at the African Amartures so there is potential there to grab a medal.” he noted.
Hot cake Nakabo, makes a U-turn to the Africa Games, after scooping gold at the 2018 Africa Armatures Chess Championship.
“I predict a tough competition at the All Africa Games event that will bring together Africa’s finest chess players, but I am confident since am also an African champion, and I expect to showcase resistance to see that we also represent the country well.”
“At such events, every participant has the zeal to represent their respective countries and well motivated and thats what I am ready to do,” Nakabo confidently stated.
At the All Africa Games, the chess event will run between 8th – 12th March.
UCF President Eng Mwaka Emmanuel explained the selection criteria of the Africa Games bound team.
“We found out that Wanyama, who won Bronze in the 2019 edition is too strong up-to-date, and we selected him given his Pedigree.“
“For Nakabo: She was Africa’s best in 2017, won silver in 2018, clinched bronze in the World Games in Italy, so it’s why we zeroed down to the two.”
Mwaka added: “After our stellar performance in 2022 in Chenai, we got direct qualification to this year’s Africa Games and the Chess World Cup for the third straight time, and the two selected recently took part in the Grand Prix Circuit qualifier Events for the Chess Olympiad, so they are the best candidates to represent the country.”
At the end of the Africa Games, the dynamic duo will stay in Ghana to shift focus on the Africa Individual Chess Championship, starting from the 12th – 21st March.
Besides Chess, Uganda sent representatives in Badminton, Cycling, Boxing, Football (Men & Women), Athletics and other disciplines.
