DanceSport: St Julian Duo Wins Gold in National Youth Breaking Championship, To Represent Uganda in China
By: kayiirajackson@gmail.com
Apart from being the reigning champions in the National Schools Football championship, St Julian High School returned to media for good reason when they win medals in the National Youth Breaking Championship (Dance Sport) held on Sunday at St Mark College Namagoma.
The school won two gold medals and a silver medal beating off the competition from St Lawrence School, the host school St Mark College Namagoma and Janan the side that reached final.
Miracle Ssenyonjo (a senior three student) won the gold medal for boys’ category after winning the tight contest on final against his teammate, David Bunjo who has settled for a bronze medal.
“I am happy that I am going to represent my country in China, it was a close contest with my friend,….no I can’t say that I am the best at school because we have never had a battle before.” Said Miracle Ssenyonjo after winning the medal.
In girls category, Uganda’s seed one in youth rankings, Sofia Kawala won the gold medal for the second time in the row after beating Janan school representative.
“Like the basketball or football players train to keep themselves fit and win, it’s the same to us though we use the beat, I also train to be fit so that I compete favorably.” Said Kawala, the gold medalist.
George William Ntulume of St. Lawrence walked away with a bronze. Najib Kakande of Mukono High School finished 4th.
The championship attracted 64 dancers from across the 19 sub-regions. Uganda’s top young 32 Boys and 32 Girls of ages between 14-18 were gathered at St. Mark’s College – Namagoma to battle for glory and supremacy.
This was the second National Youth Breaking championship after the inaugural event held last year at Lido Beach in Entebbe.
From the championship, a team of eight (8) breakers were selected to represent Uganda at the forthcoming World DanceSport Federation Youth Breaking Championship in Wuxi, China scheduled for 28th to 29th September later this year.
The World Youth Breaking championship shall act as a ranking event from which top ranking athletes will book slots to the August 2026 youth Olympics in Dakar Senegal set for 31st October to 14th November.
Later this year, USSSA national championship due to September 1st – 9th shall also be used to select team Uganda for Gymnasiade games in Bahrain from 23rd to 30th October 2024.
Breaking boys, girls and Bon and Clyde, performing arts, HipHop and Latin are the dance categories to be in Bahrain.
Judging in this competition base on three segments.
The Body segment which represents the physicality and athletism of the athletes.
Mind to represent creativity, character and style of the athletes while dancing and soul represents interpretation and expression of the athletes to the music provided to him/her.