Douglas Bugingo
25 February 2008
Kampala — UGANDA'S top badminton player Edwin Ekriing yesterday won the Mauritius International Championship. The 21-year-old Ugandan upset three higher ranked players - Nikil Kencata of India, Italy's number one Raffeiner Klaus and Spain's Carlos Longo to win the event recognized by the World Badminton Association.
The Germany based Ekiring streamrolled through the qualifying rounds, before beating Kencata in the quarter finals. After a nervous start, he imposed his skill and determination to emerge a winner by two sets to one.
Ekiring fell 19-21 in the first set but won the next sets 21-13, 21-18 to book a slot in the last four. The Ugandan, who won a bronze medal at the All Africa Games in Algiers, Algeria last year, then beat Italy's Klaus in straight sets 22-20, 21-12 to storm the finals.
He beat Spain's Longo by a similar margin to collect top honours.
He collected $50,000 or Shs85m and improved his chances of qualifying for the Olympic Games in Beijing, China.
"Ekiring has greatly improved his game and he has all the determination to top the continent. "This display is one of the signals that he is on his way to the continent's greats," national coach Simon Mugabi said.
Ekiring was a big disappointment at the season opening Roofing Open in Kampala when he failed to make the last four.
Final
Ekiring 2-0 Carlos Longo
Semifinal
Ekiring bt Klaus
Quarter final
Ekiring 2-1 Nikil
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