Teso's pool players set Sights on national championship glory

Teso region pool players are aiming for a strong performance in the upcoming Nile Special National Pool Open Grand Finale, scheduled for November 30th at the MTN Arena Lugogo, Kampala.

The six players (three men and three women) who advanced to the grand finale from the regional qualifiers held at Nature Gardens, Soroti City, are currently in their final preparations for the contest.

During the regional pool qualifiers, which featured 36 players from Teso-Karamoja, Samuel Oiko, John Omunyin, and Tom Ebuut emerged as the top competitors in the men's category, while Deborah Ibenu, Faith Atai, and Rashid Nansi led in the women's category.

“I am happy to have qualified for this year’s Nile Special National Pool Grand Finale after missing it since 2018. Now, the responsibility is to stay in top form by training to keep mentally and physically fit,” said Samuel Oiko, who won the Teso regional qualifiers.

Oiko, a player from Soroti City Pool Club, has competed in nationals seven times and is determined to give his best in the tournament. “I’ll approach each game with enjoyment. While there are more seasoned professionals out there, I’m determined to perform at my peak,” he added.

Faith Atai, who qualified for the prestigious 2024 Nile Special National Open Pool Championship in the women's category, is confident about her performance in the contest. “It is yet another good time for me to qualify from Nature Gardens. I’m stepping up my preparations and ready for the national open,” she said.

The Nile Special National Pool Open Championship is arguably the greatest pool open in Uganda, with substantial prize money from the main sponsors, Nile Breweries Limited (under the flagship brand of Nile Special).

Besides the cash prizes for the top 16 male players and the top 8 female players, the winners are also awarded cars. A total of 128 male and 64 female players will be competing for various prizes in this championship.