Elizabeth Mwesigwa (born 10 March 1992) is a Ugandan para-badminton player and she is ranked as the country's number one in the SL3 category. She won a gold medal at Uganda's para-badminton international in 2018. As of February 2020, she is ranked 12 worldwide in the Women's para-badminton SL3 Category by the Badminton World Federation.[1]
| Elizabeth Mwesigwa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country |  Uganda | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 10 March 1992 Iganga District, Uganda | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Women's singles SL3 Women's doubles SL3–SU5 Mixed doubles SL3–SU5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Highest ranking | 11 (WS 1 January 2019) 15 (WD with Ritah Asiimwe 3 October 2022) 20 (XD with Hassan Mubiru 8 November 2022) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current ranking | 12 (WS) 15 (WD with Ritah Asiimwe) 20 (XD with Hassan Mubiru) (15 November 2022) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Background and education
editMwesigwa was born as the first of six children of Godfrey Kakaire, in Naigobya, Iganga District.[2] She was born with a congenital defect that created an impairment of both legs below the knees. After undergoing an operation for her limbs in Tororo, Mwesigwa returned to Iganga and was enrolled at Iganga Infants School then Pride Academy Iganga which she left in 2009 after completing her Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE).[2][3] In 2010, she moved to Kampala and joined Naguru High School but dropped out in 2011 in her first term of Senior Two.[2]
She later supported herself as a hawker before relocating to Kigali, Rwanda in 2012.[3]
Sports
editIn 2013, Mwesigwa was introduced to sports through basketball during her stay in Kigali, Rwanda.[2] On her return to Kampala in 2015, she featured in a number of wheelchair basketball games before attending a week-long training course with Richard Morris, an Engllsh para-badminton coach.[2] She took up para-badminton, training through 2015 and 2016, and eventually featuring in her first tournament (Uganda Para-badminton International) in 2017 and winning a gold medal.
In 2018, Mwesigwa won a gold in the African Para-Badminton Championships held in Kampala, Uganda after beating Nigeria's Gift Ijeoma Chukwuemeka in the Women's SL3 final.[4]
In 2019, she again represented Uganda at the second Fazza-Dubai Para-Badminton International.
Qualification for Olympics
editIn 2019, Mwesigwa was part of a 5-person Ugandan contingent that played at the TOTAL BWF Para-badminton World Championships that were held in Basel, Switzerland.[5][6] She featured in the Women's SL3 Group B, the Women's SL3 – SU5 doubles (partnered with Asha Kipwene Munene) and also in the mixed doubles where she partnered with Paddy Kasirye.[7]
Members of the Parliament of Uganda had earlier resolved to contribute USD 10,000 that was to help her participate in tournaments in Thailand, France, Australia and Japan that would then help her gain points to qualify for the 2020 Paralympics.[8][9]
Awards and recognition
editIn 2019, Mwesigwa was named Tigress Honoree by the Malengo Foundation in recognition of her being Uganda's gold medal winner at the Para-African Badminton championships of 2018.[10]
Achievements
editAfrican Championships
editWomen's singles
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018[a] | Lugogo Indoor Stadium, Kampala, Uganda | Rose Nansereko
|
21–11, 21–12 |  Silver
|
 Naomi Sarpong
|
21–16, 21–6 | |||
 Gift Ijeoma Chukwuemeka
|
7–21, 18–21 | |||
| 2022 | Lugogo Indoor Stadium, Kampala, Uganda | Rose Nansereko
|
21–9, 22–20 |  Gold
|
Women's doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Lugogo Indoor Stadium, Kampala, Uganda |
Ritah Asiimwe
|
Sumini Mutesi Rose Nansereko
|
21–11, 21–16 | Gold
|
Mixed doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Lugogo Indoor Stadium, Kampala, Uganda |
Hassan Mubiru
|
 Prince Mamvumvu-Kidila Martha Chewe
|
21–12, 7–21, 9–21 |  Bronze
|
BWF Para Badminton World Circuit (1 runner-up)
editThe BWF Para Badminton World Circuit – Grade 2, Level 1, 2 and 3 tournaments has been sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation from 2022.[11][12]
Women's singles
| Year | Tournament | Level | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Uganda Para Badminton International | Level 3 |  Charanjeet Kaur
|
8–21, 9–21 |  Runner-up
|
International Tournaments (1 title)
editMen's doubles
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018[b] | Uganda Para Badminton International |  Mary Margaret Wilson
|
Zinabu Issah Naomi Sarpong
|
21–4, 21–7 |  Winner
|
 Cristance Moffouo Jacqueline Carole Ntsama
|
21–5, 21–5 | ||||
| Gift Ijeoma Chukwuemeka Chinyere Lucky Okoro
|
21–12, 21–11 | ||||
| Khadija Khamuka Rose Nansereko
|
21–19, 21–5 |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Badminton World Federation (25 February 2020). "BWF World Rankings for Para-Badminton (2/25/2020)". Badminton World Federation. Archived from the original on 12 March 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
- ^ a b c d e "Elizabeth Mwesigwa: Overcoming disability to excel in". Daily Monitor. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
- ^ a b admin (13 May 2019). "Mwesigwa defied disability to become national champ". Good News Paper. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
- ^ "BWF Para-Badminton – African Para-Badminton Championships 2018 – Players – Elizabeth Mwesigwa". bwfpara.tournamentsoftware.com. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
- ^ "Para-badminton World Championships 2019". www.badmintonuganda.org. Archived from the original on 19 January 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
- ^ "Uganda Para-Badminton Players Strive for Paralympics Despite Limitations – Botswana Online News". Archived from the original on 12 March 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
- ^ "Uganda on the rise in Para Badminton". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
- ^ gmkatamba (27 July 2018). "Parliament donates US$10,000 to Paralympics star". www.parliament.go.ug. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
- ^ Nakatudde, Olive. "MPs Donate UGX 43m To Para- Badminton Star Mwesigwa". Uganda Radio Network. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
- ^ "Malengo Foundation recognises exceptional women with disabilities". PML Daily. 7 April 2019. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
- ^ "Para Badminton Tournament Structure Bids for Tournaments 2022 Onwards". Badminton World Federation. 29 May 2022.
- ^ "BWF Para Tournamentsoftware". Badminton World Federation. 11 July 2022.