ALGIERS, Algeria — Uganda’s Precious Allan Asiimwe has been crowned African Champion in Para Recurve archery after defeating Algeria’s world-ranked archer Izri Abdelkader in a dramatic final at the African Archery Championships.
Asiimwe secured the gold medal after a tense shoot-off in the sixth set, holding his nerve to hit a 9-point shot, beating Abdelkader’s 7 points to claim victory.
The win marked a historic achievement for Uganda Archery, with Asiimwe becoming the country’s first African champion in the discipline.
The Ugandan archer overcame Abdelkader, who is ranked 29th in the world, in what was described as one of the most competitive finals of the tournament.
The match went down to the final shoot-off after both athletes battled closely through the sets, with Asiimwe producing a composed finish under pressure.
Following his victory, Asiimwe shared his experience with World Archery President Greg Easton, explaining how the match unfolded and the journey that led him to the continental title.
The achievement comes just over a year after Asiimwe began mastering the sport, rising quickly to the top of African para archery.
His success was boosted by specialised training and support, including participation in a World Archery/Olympic Solidarity training course in Morocco alongside coach Aisha Namukwaya.
Uganda Archery said the knowledge gained during the training played a key role in preparing Asiimwe for the championship.
The athlete also used a Fivics bow donated to Uganda Archery by World Archery last year, which he trained with and used during his gold medal-winning performance.
Uganda Archery credited the support from World Archery and World Archery Africa for helping develop the sport in the country.
“We thank World Archery for lending a hand to Uganda Archery to help expand the sport,” the federation said.
Uganda’s team at the championships included Asiimwe and Bashir Mutyaba in Para Recurve, Shiloh Kamukama Ayebare in the Under-18 Recurve category, coach Aisha Namukwaya, team manager and Uganda Archery Vice President Sula Blick, and Lillian Muhangi, who supported the team as manager and parent.
The victory adds to Uganda’s growing achievements in para sports and highlights the country’s progress in archery, a discipline that has continued to gain recognition internationally.
Uganda Archery thanked all athletes, coaches, managers and partners involved in the historic campaign.