At the eBundu Lodge in Mpumalanga, South Africa, the Ugandan women’s national pool team, fondly known as the She Pool Cranes, have opened their campaign at the Africa Ultimate Pool Championship with the kind of grit and flair that’s turning heads across the continent.
Arriving after a grueling overnight trip from Johannesburg, the She Cranes were thrown straight into the deep end, facing off against none other than their male counterparts, the Pool Cranes, in their tournament opener.
The result, a tough 19–6 loss, could have dampened spirits. Instead, it ignited something else: determination.
Refusing to be defined by that early setback, the She Cranes bounced back in dramatic fashion. In their second outing, they edged out Kenya’s senior team in a nail-biting 13–12 thriller.
Still riding that wave of momentum, they pushed past Team Windhoek from Namibia, snatching another crucial win and securing a valuable bonus point in the standings.
Now, with two victories under their belts and confidence rising, Uganda’s women are eyeing the possibility of a major tournament upset.
Ten more teams stand between them and glory in the round-robin phase, which wraps up on Wednesday. The singles competition will follow immediately after, giving individual talents a chance to shine on the continental stage.
Meanwhile, the Pool Cranes, the men’s national team, are living up to expectations with a flawless start. They’ve dispatched Uganda B and Tanzania’s Cuemasters with ease, the latter falling 16–9 to a squad brimming with skill, experience, and composure.
With action set to continue until Saturday, October 18, the Ultimate Pool South Africa – All African Championship is heating up fast, and Uganda’s cue artists, both men and women, are proving they didn’t come to Mpumalanga to simply compete. They came to conquer.
