U-Games 2018: UB nose-dive as CUIB make history

The National Institute of Youth and Sports (INJS), from Cameroon’s political capital-Yaoundé, are just two titles away from equaling University of Yaoundé 1’s (UY1) all-time record of eleven (11). INJS were on Friday 11 May, 2018, crowned overall champions of this year’s University Games (U-Games), University of Maroua 2018, after bagging 25 medals including 15 gold. 

Minister Fames Ndongo to the right

The closing ceremony held on Campus A in Kongola Djoulgouf Kodek, was attended by top government officials, notably Higher Education Minister, Prof. Jacques Fames Ndongo, Sports Minister, Pierre Ishmael Bidoung Mpkatt, the Minister of Livestock, Fisheries and Animal Industries, Dr. Taiga, and the Governor of the Far North Region, Midjiyawa Bakary. In his speech, Minister Fames Ndongo remarked that the event had scored a resounding success, starting and ending peacefully.

For 7 days, a mass of athletes from 19 higher institutions of learning not only competed for precious medals but imbibed Olympic values ranging from joy in effort, fair play, respect, excellence, to equilibrium in body, mind and spirit.  After chasing INJS to no avail, all-time record holders UY1 settled for second place with 11 gold medals out of 32. 2017 winners and/or history makers, the University of Douala (UD), were beaten to third spot with 40 medals, 9 of them in gold. The Douala delegation was short of five gold medals to replicate the Bambili experience.

The most incredible story of the 21st edition as recorded by the National University Federation of Sports (FENASU), is probably the first ever gold medal won by the Catholic University Institute of Buea (CUIB). The magic was pulled off by table tennis sensation, Boulmo Saiba’a Yaoussou Igor, enabling CUIB to rise above the shadows of big names since debuting in 2013 in Adamawa. Having ended 14th with a gold and 2 bronze medals, CUIB who missed the 20th edition have succeeded to cause a major upset to the likes of the University of Buea (UB). UB have left the competition gold-less for the first time in years. A 15th spot guaranteed by 9 medals (4 silver and 5 bronze) means UB suffered a shock collapse on the rankings, down from the 8th position which they held in 2017, upon securing 3 gold out of 11 medals.

UB’s iconic men’s handball and football squads that ground out results, now suffer from hemorrhage with the departure of key athletes. This time around, UB’s women football team historically ‘crashed’ into the finals before an agonizing 2-4 shoot-out loss to Soa (Yaoundé 2 University). The penultimate fixture had ended 2-2 at regular time.  The only other Anglo-Saxon University, the University of Bamenda (UBa), finished 11th up from the 12th place with 15 medals, one in gold.  UBa were quite impressive given that gold was not in the picture when they hosted last year, bagging 16 medals in total.

Out of the 19 participating universities, only the Catholic University of Central Africa (UCAC) and Université des Montagnes (UdM) left empty-handed. Since 1998, UY1 and INJS (with 11 and 9 titles respectively) have dominated U-Games. Last year, the UD stunned bookmakers and the vast varsity community with a first glorious finish in Bamenda. As the University of Dschang look forward to hosting the jamboree in 2019, the battle to dislodge the afore-mentioned giants continues. 

By Isifu Wirfengla in Buea.