Ugandan badminton player Fadilah Shamika Mohamed Rafi secured a historic gold medal at the All Africa Senior Badminton Championships in Gaborone, Botswana, on February 15, 2026, defeating South Africa’s Johanita Scholtz in a three-set final.
The 22-year-old Shamika overcame Scholtz, the fourth seed, with a score of 21-17, 16-21, and 21-19, claiming her second continental singles title. This victory marks the first time a Ugandan woman has achieved this level of success in the competition, according to reports from kawowo.com.
The match was a tense affair, with Scholtz initially dominating the first set 21-14. However, Shamika adjusted her strategy in the second set, slowing the tempo and focusing on precision to secure a 21-14 win of her own, forcing a decisive third set. Despite feeling physically exhausted, Shamika rallied, winning the final set 21-16.
“I was exhausted,” Shamika said, “But my father kept telling me, ‘one more to head.’”
This win builds on Shamika’s previous successes, including sweeping three gold medals at the All Africa U-19 Championships in Mauritius. She also secured a bronze medal in the women’s doubles event at the 2026 All Africa Senior Badminton Championship, partnering with Tracy Naluwooza. The Ugandan pair lost to South Africa’s Amy Ackerman and Johanita Scholtz in the semifinals, 21-16, 21-10, but their podium finish added to Uganda’s overall medal count.
Shamika and Naluwooza achieved a similar result at the 2023 All Africa Senior Championship in South Africa, winning gold in women’s singles and bronze in women’s doubles, demonstrating their consistent performance on the continental stage. Shamika acknowledged limited preparation time leading up to the championship, stating, “I’m grateful for this because I really didn’t have much time to prepare.”
Ugandan officials are scheduled to receive the medalists upon their return from Botswana, according to NBS Sport.
