Cobra VC clinch first men’s title at Dr. Aporu Okol Cup

Cobra Volleyball Club of South Sudan emerged victorious in the 31st edition of the Dr. Aporu Okol International Volleyball Tournament, clinching their first-ever men’s title after defeating Uganda’s Nemo Stars in straight sets during the finals held on Sunday, June 15.

In the women’s category, Seroma Doves overcame Vision Volleyball Club (VVC) with a 2-1 sets win to claim the ladies’ trophy.

The annual tournament, hosted at Kumi Boma Grounds in Kumi Municipality, is held in memory of the late Dr. Aporu Okol, a former national volleyball team player.

This year’s three-day event, held from June 13 to 15, attracted a total of 64 teams: 30 club teams, 5 corporate teams, 17 secondary schools, and 17 primary schools.

Cobra VC head coach David Math Mathiang expressed pride in the team’s long-awaited achievement.

“We are happy to win our first trophy. The team has been coming to this competition for the last five years without success, but today God has opened our doors. Now, our focus is on winning more,” said Mathiang.

Nemo Stars coach Apollo Namanya praised Cobra VC for their performance and accepted the loss with grace.

“We managed to win the 30th edition of this prestigious tournament, but this time wasn’t our turn. We’ll now shift our focus to the upcoming competitions,” Namanya stated.

In the secondary school category, Bukedea Comprehensive School (BCS) dominated, taking home both the boys’ and girls’ trophies. The boys' team defeated Amus College School 2-1 in the final, while the girls’ side overcame Ngora High School with a similar scoreline.

In the primary school category, Mary McAleese Primary School won the boys’ title, while Ngora Township took the girls’ crown.

Cissy Opede, Chairperson of the Kumi District Volleyball Association, noted an encouraging rise in participation, particularly in the corporate category.

“I want to thank all the corporate teams for turning up this year. The number increased from 54 in 2024 to 64 in 2025. Special appreciation also goes to the primary and secondary schools that participated for the first time,” said Opede.

Christine Hellen Amongin Aporu, patron of the Uganda Volleyball Federation (UVF), urged the government and stakeholders to elevate the tournament into a broader developmental initiative. She encouraged youth to take up volleyball as a potential career path.

At the tournament’s closing ceremony, Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) President Patrick Amuriat emphasized the importance of nurturing young talent.

“This tournament is not only for socializing but also creates employment opportunities for young people. I urge parents to support and develop their children’s talents,” Amuriat said.