And the winner is...Otile

Otile kisses his award after being pronounced winner of the prestigious Nile Special-Uspa sportsman of the year. PHOTO BY ISMAIL KEZAALA 

Kampala. The mere sight of the glittering podium sent an aura of glitz into the 450 guests.
The serene atmosphere inside the Victoria Ballroom at Serena Hotel was just perfect for the 31st edition of the Nile Special-Uganda Sports Press Association (Uspa) Awards Gala on Friday night.

Emcees Crystal Newman and Andrew Kabuura, and song bird Winnie Nwangi had done all to keep it intact.
They were only overwhelmed by would-be chief guest Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda’s failure to turn up.
He was ably represented by State Minister for Sports Charles Bakkabulindi. He walked in at 9:34pm, nearly two hours after the first-ever live televised Uspa Gala had rolled off.

Bakkabulindi, though, was in time to crown Ronald Otile the 2015 Uspa Sports Personality of the Year at 11:28pm, minutes after his speech.
Otile had beaten body builder Ivan Byekwaso and She Cranes netballer Racheal Nanyonga to become the first golfer to win the gong.
His celebration was punctuated with countless fist pumps, kisses on the prestigious award in his arms and holding it aloft before the Hall. Tina Turner’s 1991 classic Simply The Best provided the icing on the cake.

Happy Otile
“I am so happy, so happy,” the excited 19-year-old told Daily Monitor as Rema entertained the descending guests. “You don’t know what this means to me. I just can’t believe it. I didn’t expect it.”

The Fort Portal-bred lad had a phenomenal 2015. Days after losing his father, he became the first-ever to win the amateur and professionals titles at Uganda Open.
Prior, the double orphan had helped hosts Team Uganda beat record winners South Africa by a point to seal the maiden Africa Zone VI title.
Otile then finished second overall but Uganda took fifth place at the Africa Amateur Golf Championships.
The scratch player then wrapped up the year by helping the East African nation retain the East Africa Challenge title in Rwanda capital Kigali last November.
No wonder Otile had appeared four times on the podium before picking the main prize.
Alongside national teammates Adolf Muhumuza, Daniel Baguma and coach Amos Kamya, they picked the award for Team of the Year.
They also took the honours for Best Run Federation and Best Organized Event (Uganda Open) on behalf of the Uganda Golf Union.
There was a rare tribute to fallen sports individuals Abel Dhaira, Friday Ssenyonjo, Hajji Juma Nkambwe, Harriet Apako, Belinda Nakayima, Micheal Samora, Mark Makumbi and Robert Wanitho in a video clip.
By the end of the night, the gala had probably matched all the others organised in the history of Uspa. There were no losers on the night, including Byekwaso and Nanyonga. It was a night where everyone won.

Award winners since 2005
2014: Peace Proscovia (Netball)
2013: Stephen Kiprotich (Athletics)
2012: Stephen Kiprotich (Athletics)
2011: Susan Muwonge (Motorsport)
2010: Moses Kipsiro (Athletics)
2009: MTN Heathens (Rugby)
2008: Moses Kipsiro (Athletics)
2007: Moses Kipsiro (Athletics)
2006: Boniface Kiprop (Athletics)
2005: Dorcus Inzikuru (Athletics)

Main awards from Friday night

Sports Personality of the Year: Ronald Otile (Golf)
Best Event: National Golf Open.
Best Run Federation: Uganda Golf Union.
Team of the Year: National Men’s Golf Team
Legendary Award: Sam Walusimbi (Cricket)

Who is 2015’s best Otile?

Date of birth: September 22, 1996
Club: Tooro
Handicap: 0
Golf kit: TaylorMade SLDR
2015 Honours: Uganda Amateur & Pro Open, East Africa Golf Challenge, Africa Zone VI title,
2nd Individual Africa Amateur Championships.

dkyeyune@ug.nationmedia.com