On an evening when November’s best basketballer Titus Odeke was absent, JKL Lady Dolphin’s “speed merchant” Brenda Ekone stole the spotlight on Saturday by walking off with the coveted Super Star of the year award at the Fortebet Real Star Awards held at Garden City Rooftop in Kampala.
With five nominations and three victories this year in the Fortebet Real Star Awards, Ekone became the first woman to win Super Star of the year, by beating off competition from Olympian Jacob Kiplimo and Rally driver Posiano Lwakataka, to bag the prestigious award.
The 26-year-old former Nkumba Navy baller has had a prolific stint with the JKL Lady Dolphins since joining them in 2020 and recently reached the 2022 National League finals, which was later won by the UCU Lady Canons.
Though Brenda lost the 2023 National title, She emerged as the league’s top scorer with 534 points averaging 17.8 Points Per Game, beating nemesis Rose Akon of Uganda Christian University by 18 points.
Over eight athletes were presented with the November Fortebet award, and veteran football player Jackson Mayanja aka Mia Mia was handed the Life Time Achiever’s award, which is the highest honor by Real for a sportsperson.
Mayanja adds the gong to a collection of legendary awards on his name including Best Coach of the month by the Real Stars Agency three years ago while he was still at Kyetume FC.
He is currently the interim Coach for the Hippos, -U20 National Team-.
The monthly Basketball gong had City Oilers Fayed Baale and Jimmy Enabu as favorites to win given their Club’s success but were beaten by UCU Canon’s Big man Titus Odeke, to the award.
Standing at 215 rebounds in the national basketball league, Odeke topped the Defensive rebounds chart, ahead of JKL Dolphins’ Mabor Makol, and James Okello from the City Oilers, respectively.
DCU’s (Deliverance Church of Uganda) Lucky Akello beat Collins Batuusa, and Shafik Byamukama, to win the Hockey category, after clinching a domestic double with her team.
DCU Hockey club won both the National league title and the Hockey Uganda cup with Lucky scoring twelve goals in the league.
Eighteen-year-old Godfrey Nsubuga from Metha Golf club won the best golfer, following his victory in both the Kinyara and the Namulonge Equity Golf open.
He beat Uganda Open winner Joseph Owinya and Meron Kyomugisha.
Wakiso Giants’ Titus Ssematimba was named best footballer of November, beating teammate Owen Kasule and Vipers’ scorer Yunus Sentamu to the award.
Titus won the U20 AFCON Zonal qualifiers in CECAFA with the Uganda Hippos, to qualify for the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations.
Lady Doves’ Nagaddya Beth won in the Ludo Category, as Sandra Nambirige from KCCA Netball Club carried home the Netball accolade.
In attendance was National council of sports Chairman Ambrose Tashobya, Shadow Minister for Sports Godfrey Kayemba Solo, and the Assistant Commissioner of Education and Sports Sam Odong delegated for the Minister Of State for Sports Peter Ogwang.
Branding company Jude Colour Solutions are partial sponsors of the awards, and through their Promotions Manager Henry Zimbe, vowed their commitment to having Real Star Agency press on with awarding excellence in Ugandan Sport.
